


Bats and Birds and Mice

by Titch360



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 04:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 52,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7561306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titch360/pseuds/Titch360
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce wants to celebrate Dick's birthday, but how? Warning: extreme levels of fluff, plenty of cuddling and bonding, and a few tears along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bats and Birds and Mice

Bats and Birds and Mice

 

“Hey, Dick, wake up.  Come on, I need to ask you something.”

Dick tried to roll over, but Bruce was holding his shoulders and shaking him, trying to wake him up.

“Huh?  Bruce?  What’s wrong?”  Dick’s mind wasn’t keeping up with his surroundings as he slurred his words through tired lips.  Something had to be wrong; Bruce sounded… _happy_.

“Dickie, come on, chum.  How fast can you pack a bag?”  Bruce was sitting on the edge of the bed now, and Dick could have sworn the man was smiling.

“Pack a bag?  Bruce, you’re not making sense.  What’s going on?  Why am I packing?”  The boy was starting to wake up and focus on his guardian as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.  Bruce was dressed casually, more casually than usual for a Tuesday; or, was it Wednesday?

Bruce ruffled the boy’s dark, bed-mussed hair as Dick sat up and stretched.  “We’re taking a trip.  How fast can you be packed?”

Dick still wasn’t getting it, “What time is it, Bruce?”  He glanced towards his window.  The curtains were still drawn, but there was no light coming from around the sides to indicate that dawn was approaching.  The only light in the room came from the nightlight positioned in the outlet near the door.

“Just past five.  Let’s go, plane leaves at seven thirty.”  Bruce got up and headed for the door, leaving his ward just as confused as he had been two minutes ago, when Bruce woke him up.

_Five?  Three hours sleep, and Bruce wants to run around being happy?  Why can’t he make sense?_   “Wait, Bruce.  Where are we going?  How long will we be gone?”

Bruce stopped at the door and turned to look at Dick.  There was a mischievous look in his eye as he said, “It’s a surprise.”

“Oh, come on.  How am I supposed to know how long it will take to pack if I don’t know what to pack and how much to bring?”

Bruce thought about it.  _Only awake for three minutes, and he is starting to make sense.  I think I can train that reaction down to less than a minute before he’s fourteen._   “That’s fair, you have a point.  We will be traveling for a week.  I won’t tell you where we’re going just yet, but pack for sunny weather, casual clothes, pack a swimsuit.  You shouldn’t need anything too dressy, so you can leave the suit here, but maybe some nicer pants and a shirt, just in case.  Bring a light jacket, too, you never know when you will need one.  Oh yeah, one last thing: no uniforms.  This is a vacation, so there will be no Bat work.”

Dick got out of bed and began getting dressed for the day, while at the same time pulling out clothes and throwing them on his bed.  Bruce was heading across the hall to his own bedroom when he heard Dick call him again.  Bruce shook his head as he walked back to the boy’s room.  “I’m not giving you anymore hints until we‘re on the plane, Chum.”

“No, it’s not that.  I don’t have a suitcase.”  Dick pointed to the small pile of clothes on the bed, as if to show that the clothes were not packing themselves.

“Okay, tell you what: I’ll get you a suitcase while you finish getting ready.  If you haven’t noticed, you’re only half dressed.  Go comb your hair and brush your teeth and finish getting dressed.  Don’t forget to pack your toothbrush.  Alfred would have a fit if you forgot it.”

Dick nodded and headed for the bathroom.  He stopped next to Bruce, looked up and asked, “Am I going to like this trip?”

Bruce patted Dick’s shoulder and grinned down at him, saying, “I guarantee it.”

Ten minutes later, hair much neater and breath minty fresh, Dick returned to his room to finish dressing and packing his suitcase.  It was still far too early for the boy to notice the changes that had happened while he was in the bathroom.  He approached the suitcase, laying on the bed as Bruce had promised, and opened it.  He stared dully at the case and thought, _Bruce gave me a suitcase with someone else’s clothes in it._   Looking closer, a full two minutes later, he noticed that they were his clothes, the same ones he had thrown in the pile on his bed, now neatly folded and arranged in the case.  Some changes had been made to his initial selection, a couple additions and subtractions to make the overall selection more appropriate to the upcoming trip, but Dick wouldn’t figure that out for a couple more days.  He looked at his bed, where the pile of clothes had been, and saw that the bed was made now.  _Oh, Alfred must have packed for me.  That was nice of him.  Why did Bruce ask how fast I could pack if Alfie was just going to come and do it?_   Dick packed his toothbrush and comb and closed the suitcase.  He quickly threw on a shirt and shoes to complete dressing, grabbed a jacket from his closet, and the suitcase, and walked downstairs.

Bruce and Alfred were waiting for him in the kitchen, both smiling.  Dick was starting to feel uncomfortable with all of the smiling going on so early in the morning, especially from these two, who were not known for jolly attitudes.  He noticed right away that Alfred was not wearing his customary suit, instead wearing a sweater and khakis.  _I don’t think I’ve ever seen Alfred not wearing a suit, this is weird._   They shoved a glass of juice and a donut at the boy, another sign that something was amiss.  Alfred never allowed something as devoid of nutritional value as a donut to be the only breakfast material in sight.  _They’re testing me, right?_

Alfred smiled down at Dick as the child held the donut, looking confused, and a bit guilty.  “Come, child.  Eat up, we need to be going.”

Dick took a small bite of the donut, wondering if he had just failed the test, if this was a test.  Then, the ten year old part of his brain took over as he realized he was analyzing the meaning of a donut.  The next bite took nearly half the pastry as a smile crossed his face.  He finished the donut, drained the juice, then rinsed out his glass and placed it in the dishwasher, Alfred and Bruce still smiling at the confused youth.  Then, just in case it really was a test, Dick asked if he could have an apple for the road, figuring they were checking if he would stick to their normally healthy diet.  Bruce chuckled as he tossed the boy the fruit.

The three men grabbed their suitcases and took them out to the car.  Within minutes, they were on the road and were at the private terminal at Gotham International Airport in half an hour.  Dick looked at the clock in the car.  Bruce had said the plane would leave at seven thirty.  It was only six twenty-five.  What were they going to do for the next hour?

Bruce, of course, had called the night before to have his private plane ready to depart by six thirty the following morning.  Telling Dick seven thirty had been the test, to see if he could keep to a schedule.  He had passed with the proverbial flying colors.

Bruce and Alfred had been trying to teach Dick that, if he wasn’t at least thirty minutes early, no matter where he was going, then he was late.  Alfred parked the car in their private hanger, and the men grabbed their luggage and boarded the plane.

Twenty minutes later, they were in the air, Alfred at the controls.  Dick didn’t know the old butler knew how to fly a plane, but it was a smooth flight as they headed west, away from the still-rising sun.

Bruce watched as Dick, excited as he was for his first non-Batman related flight, began to fall asleep.  As much as he wanted to let him, Bruce had a promise to keep.  He reached over and shook Dick’s knee, waking the drowsy child.

“Hey, not just yet.  I promised I would tell you where we’re going once we were in the air.  You trusted me enough to not ask, so I will tell you now.  However, I am only going to tell you part of where we’re going; the rest will be a surprise.”

Dick hadn’t asked because he was too tired and forgot.  He perked up a bit, only to be disappointed at the tiered secrets.  As tired as he was, he really wanted to know where they were going.

Bruce continued, “Okay, we are going to Southern California, to enjoy some time in the sun, and to relax as much as possible.  There will be a couple surprises thrown in, as well, because _somebody_ happens to have a birthday coming up in a couple days.”  Dick’s face shone as his smile displayed every one of his teeth.  “It’s not every day my little man turns eleven, we need to celebrate.  I think you will like what I have planned, but no more until we get there.”

Dick shot across the plane and hugged Bruce, almost knocking him out of his chair.  “Thanks, Bruce.  I’ve never been to California.  This will be fun.”

Bruce was actually surprised by this fact.  “Never?  Didn’t the circus ever perform in California?”

“Yes, twice, but I never got to go.  The first time, my grandmother, my Dad’s mom, had died.  We went to the funeral while the circus was in California.  I think I was about five at the time.  I don’t remember why I didn’t go the second time.  Give me a minute, let me think about it, it will come to me.”

Bruce got up, still holding the boy in his arms.  He walked back to the couch, folded it out to a bed, and put Dick under a blanket to get some sleep.  As Bruce was walking away, he heard Dick gasp.

“Oh, yeah.  Now I remember.”  Bruce returned to the sofa bed to look down into the sweet face below him, now streaked with pain and sadness.  “California was going to be the next stop after Gotham City, two years ago.  I obviously didn’t make that trip, either.”  Dick turned onto his side, facing away from Bruce.

_Good job, Bruce.  This trip was supposed to help him forget things like this._   It had only been a month since Haly’s Circus came back to Gotham City for the anniversary show.  It had only been a month since Dick had faced his past head-on.  Dick had been a changed person since his night reuniting with his old family, a little calmer, a little more reserved.  Bruce had hoped that this trip would allow Dick to remember that it was okay to have fun, that the pain of life didn’t have to get in the way of the good times.

Dick sniffed as he remembered how much he had been looking forward to the trip to California two years ago, and how everything had changed in an instant.  He felt the bed dip as Bruce sat down next to him and began rubbing his back and neck.  Dick let him continue for a couple minutes, because it felt so good, before sitting up and wrapping his small arms around Bruce’s broad chest.

Bruce whispered to the boy as he returned the embrace, “I’m sorry, son, I didn’t know.  I would have planned something else if I knew.”

Dick smiled despite his sad feelings.  _I love it when he calls me son._   He leaned back and wiped his eyes, looking up at Bruce.  “It’s okay,” he said quietly, “Just because it’s related to a bad memory, doesn’t mean I don’t want to go.  I’ve always wanted to go to California with my parents.  Now, I get to go with my dad and granddad.”

Bruce smiled, still amazed, even after more than two years together, at how strong Dick was.  “I don’t think Alfred allows you to call him ‘granddad’.”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I can’t think of him that way, and keep it to myself.”

Bruce squeezed Dick again, “Get some rest, it’s a long flight.  I’ll wake you before we get there.”

Dick laid back down, and was asleep before Bruce reached the cockpit.

_Later…_

“Hello, back there.  Wake up!  We’re getting ready to land.”  Dick looked around, confused.  The voice of Bruce had woken him up, but he didn’t see the older man anywhere.  Then, he heard the voice again, coming from the speakers in the wall.  “Dick, I need you to go sit in the chair I was sitting in during take-off and strap yourself in.  Don’t worry about the bed for now.  There is a green button on the arm of the chair for the intercom.  Let me know when you get there.”

Dick made his way over and sat down as he was told.  Holding the green button, Dick asked, “Can’t I sit in the cockpit during landing?  I’ve never seen that before.”

Bruce’s voice came through the speakers again.  “You see me land every time we take the Bat-plane out.”

“Yeah, but that’s different.  The Bat-plane doesn’t land at an airport, you just hover and set it down in the cave.  Plus, I can’t see much then, either, with being in the back seat and all.  Please, Bruce?”

Dick could almost hear the smile in Bruce’s voice.  “Well, there are only two chairs up here.  If you come up, you will have to be strapped in on my lap.”

Dick was in the cockpit before the last word was out of Bruce’s mouth.  Bruce smiled as he took off his seatbelt and allowed his child to jump up in his lap.  The seat restraint barely fit around the duo.  Alfred smiled, wishing he wasn’t busy flying the plane so he could take a picture.  Dick was leaning forward, looking at all the controls, buttons, lights, and knobs.  Bruce, now unable to help Alfred fly due to a lap full of sixty-five pounds of energetic ten year old, smiled as he wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist.  He placed his headphones back on his head, then another set on Dick’s head, his without a microphone.  He then pointed out which controls did what.  He pointed out the various dials and gauges showing altitude, airspeed, fuel level, compass heading, and other minutia involved in keeping the plane in the air.  Dick was enthralled with everything, enough so that Bruce had to warn him not to touch anything.

The radio crackled in the headphones.  Dick jumped and took them off, they were turned up to full volume.  As Dick was rubbing his ears, Bruce found the volume knob on the headset and turned it down, showing the boy where the knob was so he could adjust the volume to a comfortable level.  Dick replaced the headset and cranked it down further.

A gruff, yet almost gentle voice addressed the plane from the tower.  “We have you on our scope now, please identify.”

Alfred keyed his microphone and responded.  “This is Gulfstream Bravo Whiskey 161, inbound from GCIA, requesting permission to land.”

The voice responded, “Gulfstream Bravo Whiskey 161, this is John Wayne Tower.  I have your flight plan on record, everything seems to be in order.  Welcome to California airspace.  I have you fourth in queue to land.  Please hold altitude at fifteen thousand feet and wait for our next signal.”

Alfred responded, “Understood, tower.  Bravo Whiskey climbing to hold at one five thousand feet.  Will wait for next signal, out.”

Dick turned as much as he could in the seatbelt and tapped Bruce to get his attention.  Bruce lifted his earphone to hear the boy.  “Bravo Whiskey?  What does that mean?  I thought you only drank at parties?”

Bruce smiled.  “Bravo Whiskey is the official FAA designation for this plane.  Bravo Whiskey comes from the phonetic alphabet.  Words are used in transmissions instead of letters.  The first letter of the word is the letter of the alphabet.  It would be too easy for a garbled radio transmission or interference to drown out a couple letters.  Using the words makes it easier to make sure the right message gets through.”

Dick nodded, “So, Gulfstream Bravo Whiskey 161 means…?”

“The type of plane is called a Gulfstream, so the tower knows what kind of plane to look for when we’re landing.  Our tail number, or registration number, is BW 161.  It’s like the license plate number, except for a plane.  Alfred is just identifying us to the tower, so they know we are here and we want to land.  So, saying ‘Gulfstream Bravo Whiskey 161’ would be like calling the Commissioner from the Batmobile and identifying ourselves as ‘Bravo Mike 1’ for Batmobile 1.”

Dick nodded again, “I get it; cool.”  He turned around to look out the windscreen, then turned back again.  “Did they say ‘John Wayne Tower’?  Wasn’t that an actor?”

Bruce chuckled, “Yes, he was.  He was a great actor.  In fact, we haven’t watched nearly enough of his movies.  We will have to fix that when we get home.  The Santa Ana Airport was named John Wayne Airport after the actor.”

The radio crackled, and the same tower voice came on again.  “Bravo Whiskey, please descend and hold at twelve thousand feet.  You are now third in queue.”

Alfred answered, “Understood.  Descending to hold at one two thousand.”

Dick whispered to Bruce, “Why does Alfred talk like that over the radio?”

Bruce whispered back, “Because he’s a pilot.”

Unseen by the others, Alfred smiled at the interaction.

A few minutes later, the radio crackled again.  “Bravo Whiskey, descend to seven thousand feet, you are second in queue.  It is Wednesday morning, June the 25th, 1997.  Local time is 8:52 am, Pacific Daylight Time.  Current temperature is 68 degrees, with a predicted daytime high of 88 degrees.  Please wait for next contact.”

Alfred commented, “Going to be a warm one today, sirs.  Be sure to drink plenty of water.  Don’t want either of you getting sick.”

Bruce tossed a mock salute at Alfred, “Yes, sir!”  Dick just giggled. 

Ten minutes later, the radio crackled again.  “Sorry for the delay, Bravo Whiskey.  You are cleared to land.  Take runway Nine-Left, with an approach vector from the North-East.  You have been assigned to hanger 43.  The landing lights will guide you once you are on the deck.  Beware, Bravo Whiskey, there is a crosswind passing through one five hundred feet, left to right, speed fifteen knots, then a tail wind passing through one zero zero feet, speed ten knots.  Begin your approach when ready.”

Alfred replied, “Thank you, tower.  Setting up for runway Nine-Left.  Acknowledge crosswinds.  Coming in now.”

Dick grew nervous as the grey lines and small houses turned into eight-lane highways and twenty story skyscrapers.  Dick was unusually quiet, he didn’t want to say anything that may distract Alfred.  He trusted Alfred implicitly, but this was his first time in a passenger plane.

As the plane descended, Dick began to push himself back into Bruce, feeling they were dropping too fast.  Dick couldn’t even make out what, or where, the runway was.  A few beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.  He didn’t understand why he felt this way.  Dick grew up as a member of the Flying Grayson’s Trapeze Act.  His parents began throwing him back and forth to each other, suspended dozens of feet over a concrete floor, held up only by thin wires, when he was just four years old.  Here, he was surrounded by a state of the art aircraft, controlled by the two men that he trusted more than any in the world, literally strapped to one of them, and he was close to panic.  He was out of his element, and he didn’t know why.

Bruce regarded the boy, shaking in his lap.  _Is he scared?  Why is he scared?  We fly around town every night, jump off of buildings with no thought of what’s on the other side of the ledge, hoping our lines will find purchase before we hit the ground.  Can we possibly have found something that Dick Grayson doesn’t like?_

The plane started shaking as they passed through the crosswind.  The nose of the aircraft, which Dick seemed not to be able to take his wide eyes off of, began to turn to the right before Alfred could correct it.  Dick gasped, shaking harder.  Bruce wrapped the scared child tightly in his arms and whispered in his ear that he was safe and everything would be alright.  Dick nodded, but could not stop shaking.

Soon, the flight smoothed out as they passed under the crosswind.  Dick seemed to shake less as the plane leveled out, but started shaking again when the plane began to sink again.

“Wait a minute.  You can’t possibly land there, that’s a freeway!”  Dick looked down at the cars, bustling their way along, seemingly oblivious to the aircraft hanging perilously low over their heads.

Bruce held Dick tighter, checking the altitude reading.  “Relax, chum.  We’re still three hundred feet up.”  Bruce pointed towards the middle of the windscreen.  “The runway is right over there.  I guarantee, Alfred is not planning on hitting anything on the way down.”  Dick nodded, comforted more by the strong arms wrapped around his stomach than the words.

As the plane glided down onto the runway, with only a single slight bump on the landing, Dick had his eyes clenched tightly shut.  His hands were gripping Bruce’s arms tight enough to leave bruises, and his fingernails dug painfully into the man’s skin.  Bruce was wincing at the grip strength of the boy and wondering if Alfred had remembered to bring fingernail clippers as Alfred guided the plane towards the rented hanger.  A member of the ground crew was guiding the plane to a stop inside the hanger and preparing for the passengers to disembark.

After shutting down the plane, Alfred stood up and stretched before grabbing his camera and taking a few pictures of his two charges.  Bruce was trying to calm Dick, who was still clinging to Bruce’s arms for all he was worth.

Dick heard the camera click and turned in the direction of the sound, opening one eye a fraction.  Seeing Alfred no longer at the controls, Dick began to freak out.  “Aaaah!  Alfred, what are you doing!?!  Who’s flying the plane?”

Bruce answered, laughing, “Relax, Dick.  We’re down, we landed.  The plane stopped moving a couple minutes ago.  We can get up now.”

Dick looked down and noticed his death grip on Bruce’s arms for the first time.  He looked sheepishly at the older man.  “Oh, sorry.”

Bruce shook his head.  “Are you going to be okay?  I never thought flying on a plane would be something you would be scared of.  You fly almost every night, with far less protection around you than an airplane.  Why didn’t you say you didn’t like flying?”

Dick was still shaking, but far less than before, as Bruce unbuckled them.  Dick spoke softly, “I’ve never been in a plane before.  At least, not one that wasn’t the Bat-plane.  I think it was more landing the plane, than flying it, that I didn’t like.”

Dick and Bruce stood and turned to follow Alfred out of the cockpit.  The butler was making up the sofa bed as the ground crew opened the hatch and positioned the stairs.  Their bags had already been retrieved from the storage under the plane and were standing next to their rental car, which had been parked in the hanger for their convenience.

Dick took two steps out of the cockpit before his knees buckled.  Bruce caught him before he completely fell over, and took him to a chair to sit down.  The boy looked pale and was still sweating.

“Wow, chum.  Air travel really doesn’t agree with you.”  Dick tried to get up, but Bruce held him in the chair, kneeling in front of him.  “No, give yourself a minute.  Listen, once this week is over, do you want to take a train home?  Alfred can fly the plane, and we can catch a train if flying is going to make you sick.”

Dick shook his head.  He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again quickly, feeling like he was going to throw up.  He looked down, away from Bruce’s concerned gaze.  _He planned all this for me, and I’m ruining it.  I feel terrible._

Dick began to cry, feeling like he was letting Bruce down.  Bruce wanted to have a fun vacation, and now all he would be thinking about is what would happen when it was over, instead of focusing on enjoying himself.

_He’s crying, what did I do?_   Bruce turned Dick’s face up to meet his own, with a finger under his chin.  “Hey, pal.  What’s wrong?”

“You went to all this trouble, planned all this for us, and I’m ruining it for you.  I’m sorry, Bruce, really, I am.  Now you’re going to be worried the whole trip, instead of enjoying yourself.  This is your vacation, and I’m messing everything up.”  The child sobbed into Bruce’s shoulder.

_He’s crying…for me?  John and Mary Grayson, thank you.  You raised one caring boy.  I hope I’m doing right by him, for your sake._   He hugged Dick tighter, “Don’t talk like that, you haven’t ruined anything.  So, flying doesn’t agree with you; it doesn’t agree with a lot of people.  We aren’t going to worry about that until we have to.  Right now, the only thing I’m worried about is sitting in rush hour traffic.  Remember that freeway we flew over?”  Dick nodded, “We’re going to be driving on it in a couple minutes.”

Dick sat for a few more minutes, wiping his eyes and taking a few deep breaths to calm himself.  Finally, he looked up at Bruce and gave a bashful smile.

Bruce tousled his hair, “Ready, pal?”  Dick nodded, getting up a bit more slowly, “Okay, let’s go get this vacation started.”

Bruce walked out of the plane and to the rented Lincoln Towncar with Dick holding his hand.  Alfred had already loaded their luggage into the trunk and was standing next to the front passenger door.

As Bruce was putting Dick into the back seat of the car, Dick looked around at Alfred, then up at Bruce and asked, “You’re driving?”

Bruce laughed at the question and replied, “Alfred just flew across the country.  I think we can give him a break for now.  It’s his vacation, too.”

Dick didn’t reply as Bruce closed the door and got behind the wheel.  Alfred got into the back seat with Dick.  When Dick looked at the old butler, Alfred said haughtily, “Well, if it’s my vacation too, I think I would like to be chauffeured around as well, for once.”  They all laughed as Bruce pulled out of the hanger and followed the signs to exit the airport.

They had a pleasant drive, for the most part.  Dick thought he had seen everything in Gotham City, but they didn’t have freeways like this.  Concrete canyons full of every kind of vehicle imaginable, and so many of them.  The buildings may have been taller in Gotham City, but here there was actually space between them.  If Dick had to describe one thing about his first glimpse of California, it was the space.  He could look up and see sky between buildings.  There were areas where all the buildings only had one story.  There was no such thing as a one-story building in Gotham City.  If a building was only one level in Gotham, it meant one of two things: either it was still under construction, or the foundation had collapsed and the building had sunk into the ground.

Bruce adjusted the rear view mirror to see Dick, who had his face plastered to the window, taking in everything.  “Doing okay back there?  Feeling better?”

Dick nodded, not taking his eyes off the scenery.  “Yeah.  Wow, this is amazing.  Where are all these people going?  Is this the only freeway in California?  This has to be everyone!”

Bruce smiled.  “Not even close, chum.  California is a big place.  There are hundreds of freeways in the state.  This one just happens to be one of the more popular ones in the area.  If I had to guess, I would say most of these people are going to work.  Remember, it is Wednesday morning.  We’re just lucky that we can afford to take a vacation like this.  Not everyone can, you know.”

After the hour it had taken to drive the 14 miles to their destination, Bruce pulled off the freeway and pulled up to a festively painted building.  Dick was in awe as he stared up at the building.  It was at least ten stories tall, and looked to be well maintained.

He just had to ask, wonder in his voice, “Bruce, what is _that_?”

Looking in the rear view mirror again, Bruce smiled as he replied, “Oh, that?  That’s the Disneyland Hotel.”

Dick stared at the back of Bruce’s seat, slack-jawed and vacant eyed.  _Did he say Disneyland?_   Dick stammered, “Di-Di-Disneyland?  We-We’re at…Di-Disneyland?  We’re _ss-staying_ …at Disneyland?”

Bruce turned around after pulling up to the valet stand.  “Happy birthday, Dick.”

Had he not still been held by the seatbelt, Dick Grayson would have launched himself at Bruce for the hug of his life.  Even restrained as he was, he still tried to get to the smiling man seated in front of him.  Bruce got out of the car and opened the door for Dick, preparing himself for…oof!

Dick hit Bruce at breakneck speed, wrapping himself around Bruce’s waist and practically shouting ‘thank you, dad, thank you’.  Bruce didn’t think such velocity was possible from a dead stop at such a short distance.  Dick then disentangled himself from Bruce and went skipping over to Alfred to hug him, too.  The family entered the lobby, a porter handling the bags while a valet parked the car.  Bruce thought Dick would be doing cartwheels and handsprings all the way to the front desk, but the child showed some decorum, for Alfred’s sake, and walked as calmly as he could with his face threatening to split in half with the smile he currently carried.

“Good morning, sirs, and welcome to the Disneyland Resort Hotel.  My name is Jessica, how may I help you today?”  The girl behind the desk had a smile that almost matched Dick’s as she offered assistance.

Bruce responded, “Checking in, please.  We have a reservation under the name ‘Wayne’.”

The girl checked her computer.  “Of course, Mr. Wayne.  I have it right here: Two suites for five nights, is that correct, sir?”

Dick tugged on Bruce’s shirt.  The man leaned down as Dick whispered, “I get my own suite!?!”

Bruce laughed out loud before saying, “No, you’re staying with me.  Alfred gets his own suite.”  He looked at the older man, “That is, if you _want_ your own suite.”

Alfred gave a small smile, “Thank you, sir.  That is most kind.”

Bruce returned the smile, “It’s your vacation, too, old friend.”

Bruce turned back to the smiling girl behind the desk, “Yes, that’s right: two rooms.”

“Very good, sir.  I have reserved for you two suites on the eighth floor, on the east side of the hotel.  That is on the side facing the park, which will give you some views of the west side of the park and a great vantage point for our nightly fireworks, if you don’t choose to watch them from inside the park, that is.”

Alfred spoke up, “Excuse me, Miss.  Are these adjoining rooms?”

Jessica shook her head, “I’m sorry sir, but none of our suites offer adjoining accommodations.  The rooms are right next door to each other, if you need to get together.”

Bruce looked at the old butler, “Alfred, we talked about this before we left Gotham.  This is a vacation for all of us.  You are not to be waiting on us.  I think we can handle a week without butler service.  Besides, I hear this place has a reputation for good service.  You are ordered to relax, unwind, enjoy yourself.”

Alfred gave a long-suffering sigh, “I shall endeavor to follow your orders, sir.”  He gave a wink and a sly smile to Dick, who giggled.

Bruce shook his head, “Now cut that out.  You will relax and have some fun, or else.”

Dick took the butler’s hand, surprising the older man.  “How about this, Alfie.  How about I wait on you for a change?”

Alfred smiled, touched at the offer.  “I suppose we can give that a try for a while.”  He didn’t actually expect the boy to do anything for him, but he could play along.

Jessica handed over the keycards for the rooms.  “Okay, this set is for room 808, and this set is for room 810.  808 has two queen-sized beds and 810 has one king-sized bed.  Jake will show you to your rooms.  Enjoy your stay at the Disneyland Resort.”  She gestured behind the family to the man pushing their luggage on the cart, who had waited patiently behind them while checking in.

Jake pointed towards the bank of elevators, “This way, please, gentlemen.”

He called an elevator and led them to the eighth floor.  Once there, he used a master key to open both doors, allowing the guests to enter their rooms.  He had learned everyone’s names while in the elevator and checked the luggage for name tags.  Matching the luggage tags to the correct person, Jake set each bag in the correct room, at the foot of each bed, before showing the amenities of the suites.

Dick didn’t hear any of it, because the first thing Jake did was open the curtains, revealing their view of Disneyland Park.  Dick was entranced by the view, with so many wondrous things to see.  There were castles, mountains, trains, boats, jungle, more than he could take in.

Jake was standing by the door, asking if there was anything else he could do for the men after being handsomely tipped by Bruce, when Dick pointed out the window and asked, “What’s that thing?”

The hotel cast member approached the window, casually placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder as he looked down on the strange train approaching on a single concrete track.  “First time at the Disneyland Resort?”  Dick nodded, not looking at the man.  “That, my good man, is the Disneyland Monorail.  It runs back and forth between the hotel and Tomorrowland.”

“Wow,” Dick whispered, filing away the name ‘Tomorrowland’ as something he would have to ask about, or look up, later.

He finally tore his gaze away from the window as the train stopped under an overhang, out of sight.  “Bruce, can we ride that thing?”

Bruce smiled, “Of course, but later.”

Jake was on his way out of the suite when he stopped at the door again.  “This is the first time here for all of you, right?”  He received nods from the room’s occupants.  “Here, I’ll leave a couple maps with you, just so you can get the lay of the land and plan your moves.”  He pulled out a couple park maps from his back pocket and left them on the table before closing the door behind him.

Neither Bruce nor Dick had noticed that Alfred had made his way to his own room and was already unpacking and getting ready for a nap after the long flight.  They were both caught up in the magic of the place.  Bruce joined Dick at the window, pulling the boy tight into his side and gazing out at the Magic Kingdom; at least, what could be seen of it from the hotel room.

After a while, Bruce knelt down next to Dick, turning the youth to face him.  “Well, are you feeling better now?  Was this worth the flight?  Can I stop worrying that you may not like my surprise?”

Dick laughed as he pulled Bruce into a tight hug, “This is great, dad.  I can’t believe we’re at Disneyland!  I’ve always wanted to come here.”

Bruce nodded.  “I promise, we will try to stay away from anything Lion King.”  Dick had a hard time making it through that particular Disney movie.  It had been one of his favorites, before his parent’s death.  Now, every time Mufasa fell to his death, Dick saw his parents falling, and missed the rest of the movie while crying on Bruce, or Alfred, or whoever happened to be around, yelling at just how unfair it was that Simba’s father had to die.

Dick nodded, agreeing it was for the best.  He forgot, until this point, that The Lion King was a Disney property, and that he was more than likely going to be confronted by it over the next few days.  The movie may be three years old, but it was still popular.  He felt he had cried more than enough on this vacation already.  “That’s probably a good idea.”

“Come on, let’s get unpacked.”  Bruce emptied his suitcase and put his clothes in the dresser, Dick following suit.  The suitcases found their way into the closet and Bruce sat down on the bed.  “Ohhh…that was a mistake.  I shouldn’t have sat down.  This bed is too comfortable.”  He kicked off his shoes and laid back on the mattress, tired from the day’s travels.  Dick went back to looking out of the window and comparing what he could see to the map he held up in front of him.  His Bat-trained senses told him the cardinal directions, and since the map was laid out in a normal N-E-S-W orientation, Dick could tell what part of the theme park was visible from the room.

In a few minutes, he could hear snoring coming from behind him.  Dick turned around and silently giggled as he watched Bruce sleeping, mouth open, tongue out, and snoring loudly.  He decided it wasn’t a bad idea to get some rest, and closed the curtain reluctantly, darkening the room.  He kicked off his own shoes and got in his own bed, just long enough to crawl over it and on to Bruce’s bed, where he snuggled into Bruce’s side, using the man’s arm as a pillow, and fell asleep.

_Later…_

Bruce woke up after a short time asleep.  He could tell he hadn’t been asleep long because of how groggy he felt.  He tried to check his watch to see what time it was, but found that there was a sleeping child attached to his arm.  Bruce smiled as he watched the boy, his slight chest rising and falling evenly and rhythmically in a deep sleep.  Bruce gently pulled the boy up, laid the child on his chest, and wrapped his strong arms protectively around his child.  Dick began to squirm, and Bruce hoped he hadn’t woken the sleeping angel, but Dick was just nestling into Bruce’s chest, and stopped moving once he found a comfortable position, with his ear directly over Bruce’s heart.  Both were back to sleep in less than a minute.

_Later still…_

Bruce awoke, feeling warm, rested, and happy.  Dick was still asleep on his chest, a smile on his young face as he dreamed happy dreams.  Bruce was happy to let Dick sleep for as long as he wanted, at least, until he checked his watch.

5:15 PM

Bruce started, then held himself in check, still undecided about waking Dick.  _I didn’t mean to sleep for so long.  I don’t want to waste all of Dick’s time here._   Against his better judgment, Bruce nudged Dick and whispered, “Pal, come on, it’s time to wake up.”

Dick sighed, not opening his eyes, and mumbled, “Just a little longer, dad, please?”

Bruce was willing to stay like this forever, but there was so much to see.  “Chum, its five fifteen.  We’ve been asleep for hours.  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sleep this long.”

Dick turned his head slightly, not quite looking up, then moved it back to its original position, before mumbling, “’S not.  It’s only two.”

Bruce shook his head, “Dick, this is a very expensive watch.  Once it’s set it doesn’t make a mistake.  It’s five fifteen.”

Dick stretched, still not lifting his head.  “Not five fifteen, two fifteen.”

“Dick, now you’re being argumentative.”

Dick lifted his head, crossing his arms on Bruce’s chest and resting his chin on his hands.  He looked up at the man and said with a grin, “Pacific Time Zone.  The clock on the nightstand says two fifteen.  It didn’t cost as much as your watch, but it’s been here longer than we have.”

Bruce felt like an idiot.  _How did he remember time zone changes, and I forgot?_   He chuckled, then snorted a laugh.  Soon, man and boy were both laughing, deep, full bodied laughs, laughs from the belly that shook the bed with their merriment.  Dick rolled off of Bruce and got up, staggering to the bathroom.  Bruce got up and opened the door to check on Alfred.

Alfred had walked over to do the same thing after hearing the pair laughing.  “My word, is everything alright in here?  That racket could have woken the whole floor.”  Alfred had taken a short nap and changed clothes, feeling much more refreshed.

Bruce smiled as Alfred entered the room, “Just getting a lesson in how to tell time from my son.”

“Must have been quite the lesson, for that reaction.  Where is the young master, if I might ask?  Out roaming the halls while the old folks sleep?”

Alfred was answered by a flush, and the master in question exiting the bathroom.  Alfred was a bit confused.  “Master Bruce, you didn’t force this child to stay here while you took a nap, did you?”

Bruce shook his head, “I didn’t force him to do anything.  I just fell asleep…”

Dick spoke up, “…And I decided to join him.  Honest, Alfred.  It’s not often I get to cuddle with Bruce, I have to take all the opportunities I can get.  It was the best nap ever!”

Bruce smiled at the butler, “See, Alfred, it was the best nap ever.”

Alfred nodded, secretly overjoyed that his two charges were able to enjoy each other’s company so much after such a whirlwind day.  “I see, young sirs.  Well, if anyone is interested in joining me, I believe a late lunch is in order.  I, for one, am quite peckish.”

Dick’s stomach rumbled loudly at the mention of food.  The donut and apple hadn’t lasted long, and technically it had been twelve hours since he had eaten.  “Wait for me, Alfred!”  Dick ran to put on his shoes.

Bruce was putting his own shoes on, “Don’t worry, Dick.  We’re all going.  The restaurant in the lobby is supposed to be quite good.”

The restaurant in the lobby turned out to be a world class steak house.  Alfred and Bruce were quite proud when Dick chose a lean cut of meat, vegetables, a salad, and a glass of lemonade.  All around the restaurant were families eating a late lunch, and the other children had almost exclusively chosen an entrée that was high in fat and mostly fried.  They allowed him the sugary lemonade because at least it was less toxic than the soda that was prevalent at every other table.  The two older men chose the same meal, except Bruce had a glass of water and Alfred had a cup of tea.

When asked about his meal selection, Dick responded that it was the closest thing on the menu to something that Alfred might make.  He also admitted that he felt guilty about the donut that morning, and told the men that he thought they had been testing him.  That was why he had asked for the apple.  Bruce and Alfred laughed about the episode.  They had thought they were giving the boy a treat, not confusing him in the early morning hours.

The trio enjoyed their meal, taking their time and having a nice conversation about their plans for the week.  They decided to start first thing in the morning and spend the day in Disneyland.  Dick wanted to be first in line when the gates opened and stay at least through the fireworks, if not through closing.  Alfred wasn’t so sure he could keep up with the younger men, but promised to give it a try for Dick’s sake.  Bruce assured him that he could do what he was able to do, and they wouldn’t hold it against him if he wanted to come back to the hotel at any time.  Dick promised to stay with Alfred and not run the old butler ragged.  Alfred and Bruce shared a smile, knowing it would be impossible for Dick to keep his promise.

As they left the restaurant, the family walked past the pool.  Dick stopped at the fence and stared at the pool, watching the families frolicking in the water.  Bruce stopped and watched with Dick, a hand on his shoulder.

Dick turned to glance up at Bruce and asked, “Hey Bruce, can we go swimming?  It looks like they’re having fun.”

Bruce opened his mouth, but it was Alfred who answered the question.  “You most certainly may not go swimming, young man.”

Bruce and Dick both spun around as the butler snapped at Dick.  Bruce looked surprised, and a bit angry.  Dick’s eyes widened to anime character proportions.  _Did I do something wrong?_

Alfred realized too late just how harsh his tone had been.  He felt bad that he snapped, then felt worse when he saw the betrayed look on Dick’s face and the slight quiver in his lower lip.

“What I mean is, you just had a very large meal, and you have not given yourself time to digest your food.  If you were to go swimming now, you would get a cramp and you could drown.”  Alfred felt terrible as he saw Dick’s lower lip trembling during his explanation.  Bruce was giving him a Bat-Glare, silently demanding a better explanation, and an apology, for Dick. 

Dick silently stared at the butler as his eyes returned to a normal size.  Alfred was about to apologize to the boy, when Dick shrugged and said, “Okay.”  Dick turned from the fence and started to walk towards the lobby.

Bruce stared at the boy’s back.  _Did he just say ‘okay’, like nothing happened?_   “Wait a minute.”  Dick stopped and turned around, having only moved three steps away.  “He just snapped at you, for no good reason, and all you have to say is ‘okay’?”

Dick cocked his head, then replied, “Yeah.  It’s okay.  He’s just looking out for me.”

“But, Alfred could have phrased it better, or at least a little nicer.”  Bruce was talking to Dick, but looking at Alfred.

“We can’t hold it against Alfred for caring for me.  Your words, Bruce, remember?”

Bruce remembered those words, spoken when talking about confronting Dick’s past at the circus.

Alfred kneeled down in front of Dick and hugged the child.  “I am _so_ sorry, child.  There is no excuse for my behavior.  I must be more tired than I thought.  Can you forgive me?”

Dick smiled at the man, “No, because there is nothing to forgive.  You explained your concern and tone.  No harm done.  Hey, when we were checking in, I saw a hallway that looked like it had a bunch of pictures in it.  Let’s go look at those.”

Bruce and Alfred were continually amazed at the resiliency of their child.  Dick took both of their hands and led the men to the hall where he had seen the pictures.  It turned out to be a gallery of pictures and drawings detailing the creation of Disneyland.  It was quite interesting, but Bruce and Alfred spent less time looking at the pictures and more time having a silent conversation, their eyes speaking far more than their mouths.

At the end of the gallery, Bruce took a bill out of his pocket and handed it to Dick.  Bruce pointed at a guide sign on the wall.  “Dick, there’s an arcade at the end of the hall, why don’t you go check it out.  When you’re done, come up to the room to get changed, we’ll go swimming after.”

Dick looked up at Alfred, unsure if Bruce was playing one side against the other.  “Is that okay, Alfred?”

The butler smiled, “Of course, Master Dick.”

“Are you going to join us?”

Alfred chuckled and patted the boy’s head.  “No, child.  That is an activity for the younger crowd, and I’m afraid I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

“Okay.”  Dick headed off towards the arcade.

“He really is an amazing child.  I promise I will make it up to him, Master Bruce.”

“I know you mean well, Alfred.  I know you care for him more than you are willing to admit.  We are both lucky to have him in our lives, and that he is more forgiving than the rest of the world.”

_Later…_

“Are you sure it’s okay, Bruce?  Alfred seemed pretty serious earlier.”

“Yes, Dick.  I’m sure it’s okay now.  It’s been a couple hours, I think you’re safe.  Go on, jump in.”

Dick stood next to the hotel pool as Bruce sat in a deck chair.  Dick had been ready to throw himself with reckless abandon into the pool when he remembered Alfred’s earlier warning.  Bruce smiled at his son, wearing a red and grey swimsuit, and shooed him towards the water.  Bruce promised he would join him in a bit as the boy took a few steps back and launched himself into the pool with a great splash.  Bruce sat and watched, his black swimsuit matching his hair, a perfect contrast to his blue eyes, giving him a mysterious aura that did not go unnoticed by many of the soccer moms around the pool.  It also helped that he was a single, well-muscled, attractive man, whose son obviously loved him.  It didn’t escape his notice that many sets of eyes furtively glanced in his direction, and the billionaire playboy of the East Coast idly wondered how many minivans he could set to rocking if he wanted to.  _Too many eyes on me, how about I change that a bit._

Bruce dove into the pool and swam over to Dick, who was playing with a couple new friends.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two women taking a closer look at the situation, obviously the mothers of the two boys. 

“Hey, dad.  This is Mike and Johnny,” Bruce greeted the boys, who seemed to be a bit shy when confronted by the large man.  Bruce gave them a winning smile, which set them at ease, and caused the mothers to melt a little inside.  “Is it time to go already?”

Bruce shook his head and smiled.  “Nope, just wanted to see what you were up to.  I also wanted to see how you would react to something.”

Dick swam closer, “React to what?”

Bruce gave an evil grin, the same one Dick remembered from when he was packing this morning.  _This morning, it feels like days ago,_ Dick thought.  He swam closer as Bruce waved him over.

“This,” Bruce said, grabbing the boy and hoisting him over his head.  Dick shouted as he was plucked from the water and held high, then started laughing as Bruce tickled his ribs lightly.  Bruce held Dick over his head with both hands, like a soccer player holds the ball on a toss in, reached back as far as he could, and threw Dick as high and as far as he could towards the deep end.  The move drew gasps from the crowd around the pool as Dick flew through the air, laughing all the way.  Being the trained acrobat he was, Dick turned the flight into a performance, turning two perfect flips before diving headfirst into the water with barely a splash.

Dick surfaced, smiling as he wiped wet hair out of his eyes, “That was cool, dad!” the boy exclaimed.  Dick drew applause from the crowd and a few pats on the back from the startled group he landed near.  Bruce, on the other hand, got a not-so-subtle hint from the lifeguard that the only children who were allowed to fly at the Disneyland Resort were the ones powered by pixie dust, and if he were to launch any more children, even his own, he would no longer have the privilege of being a guest of the Disneyland Resort.

The lifeguard couldn’t be too angry with Bruce, as Dick swam back over and jumped on Bruce’s back, obviously thrilled with what had happened, if the wide grin, giggling, and tight hug were any indication.

“Maybe we should take a break?” Dick asked, laughing while still hanging around Bruce’s neck.

Bruce nodded, swam to the side of the pool, and climbed out, Dick still attached to the man’s back, his thin, strong arms wrapped around Bruce’s neck while his legs were wrapped around his waist, the boy’s bare feet and ankles crossing over the man’s stomach.  _Well, at least their eyes are on the both of us, not just me._   He pulled a deck chair closer to the one he had been using for Dick as the sun began to set.

“Thanks, Bruce.  That was a good memory.”  Dick looked wistful.

“I’m glad I can help you make some good memories?” Bruce was a bit confused, but went with it.

Dick laughed, “No, I mean tossing me like that.  It reminded me of my dad.  When he was first training me to join the act, we would go to whatever body of water we could find, and he would toss me like that, to get me used to flying.  Then, he would have me do as many flips and twists as I could fit into each throw, so I could practice timing and gymnastics all at once.  Once I could get three flips and a twist into a single throw, he started me on the trapeze.  It was our time alone, it was our bonding time.  Yes, I got thrown, and I would flip and twist, but it was our time to be together.  That was when he would teach me everything, when we would talk.  I learned more during our talks than I did during home schooling, but the best thing it taught me was how much my dad loved me.  I’ll never forget that, but thanks for the reminder.  It’s always good to know how much _all_ my dads love me.”

_Wow,_ Bruce thought, _that may be the first time he has told a story about his parents without looking like he’s going to cry.  Maybe he is finally starting to heal, and can start to look at the good times without always being reminded of the bad time._

Towels were dropped into each of their laps as Alfred pulled up another deck chair and sat down next to Bruce.  “That was quite a show the two of you put on.  I hope the lifeguard wasn’t too upset.  Can I look forward to seeing that move described in an after action report once we get home?”

Dick sat up, drying his hair and looking hopeful.  “Can we, Bruce?  Huh?  Can we?  Think of how surprised the bad guys would be!  Robins are supposed to fly, you know.”

Bruce laughed, took the towel from Dick and wrapped it around the child’s shoulders as a cool breeze blew across the pool.  Wiping himself down with his own towel, he replied, “We’ll talk about it later, some place not so _public_.  Right now, it’s getting late.  We have a big day tomorrow, and we should get a good night’s sleep.”

“Awww, Bruce,” Dick whined, having too good a time to let the day end, “The sun’s not even down yet.  What are we supposed to do between now and tomorrow morning?”

“I would suggest sleep, young masters.  It has been a longer day than you think, child.  Master Bruce woke you up at five, which was two local time…”

“Yes, but we weren’t here at two local time.  Plus, I had two naps today, which is two more naps than I’ve had in the past month.”

Bruce chuckled, “He found the hole in your logic there, old friend.  Come on, I’m getting a few looks around here that shouldn’t be seen around children.”  The three got up and left the pool area, much to the disappointment of the soccer moms, who were enthralled with the father-son pair and their open and happy relationship.

They returned to the room, showered, and Bruce turned on The Aristocats on the in-room movies.  Bruce and Dick were asleep halfway through the movie, but were awakened when the fireworks show started over the castle.  Dick jumped out of bed and threw open the curtains, Bruce joining him a minute later.  Both were amazed with the display.  Bruce had no idea what to expect when Jessica had said fireworks show, but whatever he had thought, this dwarfed it. 

Once the fireworks were over, the duo stood staring at the park for a few more minutes.  Dick finally looked up at Bruce and asked, “Are we going inside Disneyland tomorrow?”

“Yes, sir.  Do you know what you want to do yet?”

Dick looked back at the theme park and said softly, “Yes, everything.”

Bruce smiled before closing the curtains again.  “Then we need to get some rest.  You did say open to close earlier, right?”  Dick nodded.

Bruce led Dick back to his bed and tucked the boy in, but not before Dick gave him another hug and thanked him for the trip again.  Bruce turned off the light and got in his own bed, smiling as Dick softly whistled ‘Zip-a-de-do-dah.’

_The Next Morning, (Thursday_ )…

“Bruce!  Bruce!  Come on, it’s time to get up!”

Dick was kneeling on Bruce’s bed, shaking the man’s shoulders until he returned to the land of the living, at least enough to respond.

_This is payback for yesterday, isn’t it?_   Bruce barely opened one eye and grunted out, “I’m up; I’m up.”

Bruce thought there was something wrong with his eye, or the curtains were exceptionally good.  _It’s still dark out._   He asked blearily, “What time is it?”

Dick gave him a big smile and said, “It’s six thirty!  Come on, we need to get ready.  I want to be first in line.”

“It can’t be six thirty, Dick.  I left a wake-up call at the desk for six thirty.  This is not the wake-up call I asked for.”

Dick’s smile faltered a bit as he moved to block Bruce’s view of the clock on the nightstand.  _I didn’t know he put in for a wake-up call,_ Dick thought nervously.  Bruce gave Dick a quarter-strength Bat glare, mostly because he wasn’t awake yet, but also because he didn’t want to scare the boy.  “Dick, what time is it really?”

“It’s really six thirty, Bruce.  Check your watch!”  Dick nodded enthusiastically.

_Ah, if it’s six thirty on my watch, then…_   “Dick?”

The child looked down, knowing he was caught, and mumbled, “Three thirty.”

Bruce sighed.  “I know you’re excited, but it’s too early.  They won’t even let us near the gates if we went now.  There won’t be anyone in the park to run the rides, or open the gates to let us in.”

“I saw the gate.  I think Batman and Robin would have no problem getting over it if we wanted to.”

“Go.  Back.  To.  Sleep.  Disneyland will still be there in a couple hours, and I told you, no Bat stuff on this vacation.  The wake-up call will come at six thirty, as requested.  You will be glad you had those extra hours of sleep later.”

Dick got up with a sigh and walked back to his bed.  Bruce saw that Dick had already gotten dressed, in the hopes that it would sell his ruse of a later time.  Dick sat down on the edge of his bed and took his shoes off again before laying down sideways on the bed, his feet dangling off the edge.  Bruce turned the light back off and rolled over.  He wasn’t concerned about Dick having enough energy for the day ahead, he was worried about himself.  Fighting crime was one thing, chasing a ball of energy around the Happiest Place on Earth was completely different.

Three hours later, as requested, Bruce’s wake-up call came from the front desk.  Bruce got up and noticed that Dick hadn’t moved.  He was still asleep, fully dressed in day clothes, laying sideways on the bed.  _Since he is ready to go, I guess there is no harm in letting him sleep for a bit longer._

Bruce made his way to the bathroom, completed his morning ritual and got dressed, wishing for a large cup of coffee.  At ten minutes to seven, he was a cup of coffee away from being ready to face the day ahead.  He exited the bathroom and noticed Dick was still asleep.  _I was sure he would have been awake by now,_ Bruce thought.  Then, the evil look returned to his face.

Bruce walked over to the bed, leaned over the sleeping child, and said in an overly sweet voice, dripping with honey and sarcasm, “Oh, Richard, wakey wakey!  It’s time to get up.  We must be going.”

Still asleep, Dick grumbled something incoherent and vaguely swiped in the direction of Bruce’s overly nice voice, as if he could erase it from his mind with the action.

Bruce’s evil smile grew to Joker proportions as he picked up the boy’s leg, still dangling from the bed, and began ruthlessly tickling the bottom of Dick’s right foot.  Dick went from dead asleep to wide awake in less than ten seconds.  First he tried to wrench his foot out of Bruce’s grasp, until he couldn’t control himself anymore, and collapsed in fits of laughter interspersed with pleas for Bruce to stop.  When Bruce finally did stop, Dick lay on the bed, recovering, with the occasional giggle breaking up his attempts to regain his breath. 

“That was mean, Bruce.  Let me sleep for a few more minutes.”  Dick put his head back down and pulled a pillow over his face.

Three seconds later, Dick was aiming the pillow at Bruce’s head as the man began attacking the youth’s left foot with a maniacal laugh.  _I don’t know if I can get used to Bruce being so happy in the morning, or if I even should.  Won’t he go back to being ‘Bruce’ once we get back to Gotham?_

“Come on, sleepy head.  What happened to all the energy you had at three thirty?  Remember, you are the one who wanted to be first in line.”

Dick gasped as he remembered the plan for the day, and quickly put his shoes back on.  He ran to the bathroom and combed his hair, his voice calling from the other room.  “I didn’t hear the wake-up call yet, unless the front desk told you that tickling me is a good wake-up call.”

Bruce called back, “It was a better wake-up call than the one you gave me at three thirty, wouldn’t you agree.”

“No, I wouldn’t agree, unless you think it is.  If you do, I can always try it on you tomorrow.  What time is it, anyway?”

Bruce checked his watch, then the clock on the nightstand before answering, “It’s seven-ten.”

Dick stuck his head out of the bathroom, answering with a muffled voice as his toothbrush dangled from his mouth, “Seven-ten?  What happened to six thirty?” 

Bruce smiled, “Well, you were already dressed, so I thought you could sleep in for a bit while I got ready.”

“Well, I…”  Dick pulled his head back into the bathroom, and Bruce could hear a _ptoo_ as Dick spit and rinsed his mouth.  He continued as he walked back into the room.  “…I guess that’s okay.  I’m ready, let’s go to Disneyland!”

Dick ran out the door and towards the elevators, only to be stopped by Bruce again.  “Don’t you think we’re missing someone?”

Dick looked around, only then remembering that Alfred was still in the room next to theirs.  He turned back to see Alfred exiting his room and walking towards the duo.

“I can assume that the commotion means that you both are ready for whatever lies ahead?”

Dick ran up to the man and gave him a hug before saying solemnly, “I made you a promise yesterday, Alfred.  We won’t wear you out, we won’t run you ragged, we’ll keep up with you.”

The butler smiled down at the boy, “Master Dick, that is a promise that I fully expect you to disregard.  I appreciate the sentiment, but I cannot in good conscience allow the first trip to Disneyland for either of my boys to be impeded by an old man.  You both may feel free to go off on your own at any time, I will be perfectly alright.”

As they entered the elevator, Dick looked up at the old man, “But, we’re a family, Alfred.  We have to stick together.”

“And we will, my boy, until you feel like going off on your own.”

Bruce spoke up, “No, Dick’s right.  We’ll stick together today.  After all, none of us really know where we’re going.”  Bruce winked at Alfred over Dick’s head as they left the lobby and walked towards the tram to the front gate of the amusement park.  Alfred nodded in response to the wink.  The two had decided the day’s schedule yesterday, while Dick had been at the arcade.  They would stick together for the morning, and later, if Alfred was feeling up to it.  They both figured that Alfred would not be able to keep up with the younger men in the hot, summer weather.  Today was for Dick, even though his actual birthday was tomorrow.  Like Alfred said, neither one of them thought they could control a rambunctious preteen acrobat/ crime fighter on his first trip to Disneyland.  Bruce was envisioning a series of back handsprings down the entire length of Main Street, ending with a front flip onto the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse located at the Hub.

As they approached the main gates, Bruce went to the ticket booth to pick up their pre-ordered tickets.  Dick ran off to find a gate without a line.  There were a few people milling around the main gates, but the child was easily able to find a gate marked ‘Entrance’ with no one in front of it.  He greeted the ticket-taker on the other side of the gate with a big smile, then waved at Bruce and Alfred as they approached.  The trio spoke with the ticket-taker for a while longer before she handed three buttons through the gate.  Dick turned them over to find they read ‘It’s My First Visit’.  He smiled as he pinned them on himself and his elders.  He noticed that Bruce looked a bit embarrassed at the pin, but kept it on.  Alfred just smiled.

Sooner than Dick thought, the gates opened and they were allowed in.  They made it ten steps before Dick, holding both Alfred and Bruce’s hands, stopped and looked in wonder at the flower design in the shape of Mickey Mouse.

He tugged on Alfred’s arm, “Can we do that back home?”

Alfred regarded the floral mural with a smile, “I don’t think Master Bruce would appreciate a giant, smiling mouse head in the backyard.”

Dick pulled the older man closer so he could whisper in his ear, “How about a bat-symbol, instead?”

Alfred gave a sharp laugh, which confused Bruce, who hadn’t heard Dick’s other suggestion.  Alfred replied, “No, child, that wouldn’t be appropriate either.”

Bruce gave them a quizzical look before pulling them towards the opening in the berm, so they could enter the park proper.  As they emerged before the City Hall, Bruce found that they were practically dragging Dick.  When he looked back, he saw that Dick’s jaw was hanging open and his eyes were wider than he had ever seen them, trying to take everything in at once.

Bruce knelt down in front of Dick, “Are you okay?”  Dick nodded, not seeing the man in front of him.  “Come on, let’s get some breakfast.  I saw a place to eat just up ahead on the map yesterday.”

The three walked up Main Street, Dick’s head on a swivel, looking everywhere, as the two men pulled him along.  They were seated at the outdoor bistro and greeted by a middle-aged man with a big smile.

“Good morning folks, welcome to the Carnation Café.  My name is Bob, and I will be your server today.  Can I get you started with something to drink this morning?”

Bruce glanced at the menu quickly and said, “I think we’re ready to order.  We’ll have two Chef’s Scrambles for the adults, and a Mickey-shaped waffle with strawberries for the boy.  I’ll have a coffee.  Alfred?”

Alfred looked up at the waiter, “Decaf, please.”

Bob patted Dick on the shoulder, “And how about you?”

Dick smiled, “Apple juice, please.”

Bob smiled, “Okay, folks.  I’ll get your order going.  It should be up in a few minutes.”

As Bob walked away to put in the order, Dick looked at Bruce and said, “I didn’t even get a chance to look at the menu.  How did you read it so fast?”

Bruce smiled, “I just figured you would have ordered it anyway, so I just saved us some time.”

Dick pulled out a map that he had grabbed when they entered the park to plot out their route for the day while Bruce and Alfred talked.  Within minutes, their meal arrived.  Dick smiled as the mouse shaped waffle on the plate smiled back at him.

“Alfred, may I see the camera, please?” Dick asked.  Alfred handed over the camera and watched as Dick took a picture of the waffle.

“Taking pictures of your food.  Honestly, I do hope that isn’t a trend that catches on.  I know it is your memory of the trip, but honestly, who wants to see pictures of what someone else had for breakfast?”

Bruce chuckled, “I don’t think we need to worry about that sort of thing catching on, Alfred.  People aren’t that vapid and self-indulgent.  Besides, it’s not like people are going to spend the money to make extra copies of pictures of their food to mail to their friends.  I think we’re safe.”

“I hope you’re right, Master Bruce.”  The family ate their meal as Dick told his elders what their plan should be for tackling the park.

When they were finished, Bob approached the table again and asked how they liked their meal.  They all agreed it was excellent and Bruce paid the check.  As they were leaving the restaurant, Bruce leaned over to Alfred and said, “See Alfred, I told you this place was known for good service.”

“I heartily agree, Master Bruce.  That Bob was quite good at his job.  I hope you tipped him well, sir.”

“I always reward good service, Alfred, you know that.”  Bruce pointed at Dick, who was walking ahead of the two men.  “You were doing such a great job for me, that I got you a grandson.  Wouldn’t you say that is better than a tip?”

Alfred replied dryly, “If you say so, sir.”  Then, with more warmth in his voice, and a smile on his normally stoic face, “Yes, that one is better than a tip.  If it were any other grandchild, I would have to argue the point, but you managed to come up with a special one.”

From up ahead, Dick called out, “Let’s try this one.  ‘The Enchanted Tiki Room’, sounds interesting.”

Twelve minutes later, after the animatronic birds and tikis were done with their show, the three men left the room, heading towards the next attraction.

Bruce asked, “Well, what did you think?  Was it as interesting as you hoped?”  Bruce was a bit put off by the show, and found it somewhat annoying.  _I’m sure it was great when the technology was new, but it seems a little dated now._

Dick shrugged, “I guess so, but we don’t have to rush back to see it again any time soon.”

Bruce laughed, feeling the same way, as they walked towards the next attraction.  Behind the pair, Alfred was whistling the Tiki Room theme song, knowing the song was going to be stuck in his head for the rest of the day.

Dick then pointed to his left, “’The Jungle Cruise’.  That sounds a little more exciting.”

The men boarded the boat with a small group of other passengers and set sail around the rivers of Adventureland.  Dick got a kick out of the narration and the jokes, but wished they could have stayed at the animatronic elephants for a bit longer, and Bruce was even seen to crack a smile.

As the boat approached the dock, the tour guide began the end of his spiel.  “And now folks, we make the most dangerous turn in the jungle: the return to civilization.  Up ahead, you will see a dock on the left side of the boat and a dock on the right side of the boat.  Here in the jungle, that’s what we call a paradox.  And on the paradox is a pair of dorks who will help you out of the boat.  You’ve been the best crew I’ve had in the last nine or ten minutes.  If you liked the tour today, then my name is Skipper Dan.  If you didn’t, then my name is Skipper Mike.”  One of the men on the dock shouted out, “Hey!”  Dan continued, “I’d like to thank you for taking the Jungle Cruise today, and now that we are safely tied up to the dock, I would just like to say…get out.”  The skipper got his one last laugh as the passengers filed out of the boat.

Leaving the Jungle Cruise, the three men found their first long line of the day leading into the “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” ride.  As the newest ride in the park, it had a wait time of over an hour, even on a Thursday morning.  Still, Dick dragged the older men to the line, meandering through the endless roped switchbacks before climbing a ramp towards the temple.

At the door of the façade, a smiling cast member handed each of them a card, which had a translation matrix for what appeared to be ancient runes.  The Bat boys had plenty of time to figure out that the card was to be used to translate icons written on the walls, because instead of getting on the ride, the temple entrance led to the second half of the line.

An hour later, as they exited the ride, Alfred looked a little worse for wear.  The bumps and jumps had left his stomach a bit unsettled and his face a little greyer.  Bruce and Dick looked at each other, then pulled out the map to adjust their plan.

Dick spoke up.  “Hey, Bruce.  I need to find a bathroom.  Are we near one?”

Bruce consulted the map, looking for a restroom, while Alfred gave a look to Dick and asked, “Master Dick, what are you doing?  I told you that you are not to wait around on my account.  I will catch up in a little while, I just need to sit for a minute.”

Dick cocked his head and looked at Alfred, asking, “Are you feeling okay, Alfred?  Maybe I’m not the only one who needs a bathroom?”

Bruce pointed ahead and led his family through the backstreets of New Orleans Square to the restrooms.  Dick really did have to use the restroom and ran ahead to do so.  Alfred followed close behind, and was a bit surprised that Dick was not just trying to appease Alfred’s stomach. 

Upon exiting the restroom, feeling much relieved, Alfred stood next to Dick, who was leaning against a low brick wall.  The child smiled as he asked the butler, “So, you can fly across country with no problems, but an amusement park ride can make you sick?”

The older man sniffed before replying, “So, you can swing around Gotham on thin ropes, but landing in a plane makes _you_ sick?”  Dick smiled and nudged the older man playfully.  Dick’s grin and good mood were infectious, and had the effect of settling Alfred’s queasy stomach.  _I am so glad that the child can joke, after all he has been through._ Alfred never would have made the remark with Bruce around, but Bruce had decided that making use of the restroom was a good idea after his last cup of coffee.

Exiting the restroom and approaching the pair, Bruce asked, “Okay, Dick.  What’s next?”

Dick looked around, his eyes settling on an old-style manor house behind a brick and wrought iron fence.  Intrigued, he said, “Let’s check that out.”

The three approached the old-looking manor and Dick waved at the man in front of the door, dressed in a green velvet suit.  The man nodded, but kept his hands clasped at the small of his back.  Dick was a bit put off, not realizing that the park employee was following his training to provide a somber atmosphere.    It wasn’t until they were inside the foyer that he realized what else was different about the man: the cast member was the first they had seen today that wasn’t smiling.  Dick stood a little closer to Bruce as they waited for the elevator, buying into the mythos of The Haunted Mansion a little too much for his liking.

As they exited the ride, Bruce and Alfred couldn’t help noticing that Dick was clinging to both of their hands, and hadn’t let go of Bruce since before the elevator began its descent.  They walked to the side, out of the way, and Bruce noticed that Dick’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Dick, what’s wrong?”

“Is a ghost really going to follow us home, Bruce?”  Dick’s voice was small and timid, and Bruce could see the tears welling up.  “Is it going to be a nice ghost?  Can we choose which ghost follows us?”

Bruce was about to laugh when he saw that Dick wasn’t kidding.  He knelt down and stroked Dick’s cheek as he replied, “It’s just a ride, Dick.  It’s just in fun.  There are no ghosts.  Nothing is going to follow us home, just the good memories we take with us.”

Dick nodded, then leaned back against a fence and closed his eyes to take a moment to collect himself.  He soon found himself jumping as screams came from the next ride.  All three men looked up and saw a log flume ride with a large drop.  The screams were coming every few seconds as another log took the plunge.

After a few more logs screamed their way down the drop, Dick smiled and pointed at the ride and said, “Next.”

Dick wasn’t a greedy child; he didn’t ask for much.  He was getting more accustomed to it, but still was uncomfortable with the amount of money Bruce insisted on spending on him.  However, he demanded that Bruce buy the souvenir picture of the three of them going over the final drop.  In the picture, Dick had his arms held straight over his head, an ear-to-ear grin of pure delight on his face.  Alfred and Bruce both had their hands on Dick’s shoulders, holding him down in the seat as the negative g-forces of the drop threatened to remove the lightweight acrobat from the fiberglass log.

Bruce chuckled at the picture as he handed it to Dick, after paying for the picture and the plastic, decorated ‘Splash Mountain’ frame.  As Dick stared at it, smiling, Bruce said to Alfred, “It’s the day before his birthday, he can have anything he wants, and he chooses a picture?”

Alfred gave Bruce a warm smile and replied, “I think it is perfectly normal, given his upbringing.  For all he has grown, living with you, he is still very much the boy from the circus.  He would be just as happy back there as he is with you.  He knows you would get him anything he wanted if he were just to ask, you have told him so enough times.  You have been able to teach him what’s important.”

Bruce returned the smile, “Not me, old friend.  His parents did that, and you have done more than your fair share, as well.”

Dick piped up, having heard the whole exchange.  “It’s not a picture, Bruce.  It’s a memory.  I think we all know what will last longer and have more meaning.  Besides, I want to remember everything about today forever.”

Alfred surreptitiously wiped his eye as they left the gift shop and headed back in the direction from which they came.  As they passed the Haunted Mansion, Dick moved from next to Bruce to the other side of Alfred, in order to be as far away from the building as possible.  On the other side of the spooky house, Bruce looked to his right and saw that the train was in the station.

“Hey, how about we ride the train around the park and see what else there is here?”

Dick nodded and said, “Sounds good, but can we ride it all the way back here?  There is another ride I want to go on after the train that is close to here.”

Alfred said, “We should hurry, gentlemen, before the train pulls out of the station.”

As they rode the Disneyland Railroad around the perimeter of the park, the only comments that could clearly be heard were from Dick, as he gasped in wonder.  Disneyland was proving to be far bigger than he imagined; he had no idea how they would ever see all of it.  The thought was a bit depressing for the youth.

As the train pulled out of the Tomorrowland station, Bruce turned to Dick and asked, “Well, what do you think so far?”

“We’re not going to be able to see everything, are we Bruce?”  Dick sounded dejected.

Bruce sighed, wrapping his arm around the slouching boy’s shoulders, “Probably not, chum.”

“…But, we _have_ to see everything.  I don’t want to have wasted your money.”

_That kid,_ Bruce thought.  “That just means we will have to come back someday, doesn’t it?  Maybe even sooner than you’re thinking.”

Any reply Dick was thinking was quickly forgotten as the train entered a long tunnel with a diorama of the Grand Canyon and the Primeval World.  The effects and the animatronic animals were very dated, but all three were astounded to see the thought that was put into the display.

Alfred was the first to speak after exiting the tunnel.  “Well, they certainly thought of everything around here.  That was quite unexpected.”

Dick looked around as the train pulled into the Main Street Station.  “Hey!  We’re back at the front gate.  Let’s get off here instead.”

The family got up and exited the train, walking down the stairs from the platform to the street level.  At the bottom of the stairs, Dick took a right and headed for an ornate building to read the sign out front.

“’The Walt Disney Story featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln’.  Wow, I didn’t know Mr. Lincoln knew Walt Disney.”

Bruce looked at the sign and smiled at the comment.  “They didn’t know each other, Dick.”

Dick tilted his head to the side in thought, “I wonder how he got his own attraction at Disneyland?  And what sort of ‘great moments’ do you think he would talk about?”

Bruce was getting confused at Dick’s train of thought.  “Well, we’re here.  Let’s go in and find out.”

Dick nodded, and as they entered the building, Dick said, “I wonder if he will remember me.”

Now Bruce was really confused.  _What does he mean, remember him?_   “Dick, I think you’re a bit confused.  Why would he remember you?”

Dick looked up at Bruce innocently, “I don’t know, it wasn’t that long ago, he should remember me.”

Bruce, still confused, asked Dick, “Who do you think is in here, Dick?”

Dick smiled, “Didn’t you read the sign?  Mr. Lincoln, of course.”

“Okay, aaaand…”

“You remember him, don’t you?  He was my teacher last year.”

Bruce sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.  Yes, he remembered the man now, but didn’t know how Dick associated him with the current situation, other than a similar last name.  “Dick, I think the ‘Mr. Lincoln’ in question here is going to be Abraham Lincoln.”

“Oh.  Oooooooh.” Dick appeared to be deep in thought as he said shrewdly, “That would make more sense.  Still, my other question still stands.  We learned about Abraham Lincoln in school; he had a Civil War and then got shot while seeing a play.  I don’t think there are too many ‘Great Moments’ there.”

Bruce chuckled and tousled Dick’s hair as they entered the auditorium.  Alfred spoke up for the first time, “The show is about to start, let’s see what they can come up with.”

After the animatronic President gave his inspirational speech, complete with a projected video of fluttering flags and flying Bald Eagles and rousing, patriotic music, the three men walked out of the auditorium.  Dick turned to Alfred with a big smile and said, “Makes you proud to be an American, doesn’t it, Alfred.”

Alfred gazed imperiously at the boy and said, “I’m English, Master Dick.”

Dick looked genuinely shocked.  “You are?”

Bruce was chuckling again, “Didn’t you ever wonder about the accent, chum?”

Dick looked at Alfred in awe before answering timidly, looking down at his shoes.  “I just thought all old people had accents; that it was something you developed as you got older.  Alfie has an accent, Mr. Haly has an accent, my grandparents had accents, Commissioner Gordon has a bit of an accent.”  He noticed the incredulous look on Alfred’s face, but missed the way Bruce was biting his lip to keep from laughing out loud.  “Not that you’re old, Alfie…”

“I was born and raised just outside of London, England.  I went to English schools, served in the English Army, and performed on the English stage.  I didn’t come to America until about thirty years ago.  I have told you several tales about my times at school, Master Dick.”

Dick looked at the old butler sheepishly, “Yeah, but the way you always said ‘English School’, I always thought you were talking about the language being taught, not the location.”

Not even Alfred could keep a straight face at that explanation.

They walked down Main Street, and were about halfway down when Dick turned to Bruce and said, “Is there anything I should know about where you come from, Bruce?”

Bruce shook his head as he squeezed the youth’s shoulder.  “Not me, pal.  Gotham City, born and raised.”

As they approached the end of Main Street at the center of Disneyland, Dick stopped and looked around.  Bruce and Alfred watched the youth as he struggled with where to go next.  The boy turned left and stared at the Tropical banner next to the makeshift fort.  Then, he turned to his right and stared at the castle for a minute.  Then, he turned to the right again and stared at the silvery, modern buildings.  Finally, he turned to the two adults standing behind him and said, “I don’t know what to do next!  Seriously, you guys choose.  This can’t all be about me, you two need to have a good time, too.  You choose what we do next.”

Smiling, Bruce knelt down in front of Dick and put a hand on his shoulder.  “Dick, this is _your_ birthday trip.  It _is_ all about you, that’s why we’re here.  Now, I can’t speak for Alfred, but I’m having a great time.  Just being able to spend the time with you is enough for me, kiddo.  I will be just as happy with whatever you choose.”

Dick returned the smile, his brain stuck replaying the last bit of Bruce’s short speech.  _I think he really means it: being around me makes him happy.  What’s so special about me, that he feels like that?_

Dick glanced up at Alfred, who answered the unspoken question.  “I am quite enjoying myself, Master Dick.  I will also defer to your wisdom as our foremost Disney expert.  I know you have seen most of the movies, you must have a better idea about what to see than we would.”

Bruce gently squeezed the boy’s shoulder and said, “Earlier, you said there was another ride by the train that you wanted to go on.  Why don’t we head over there?”

Dick nodded and pulled out the map again.  He traced his finger over the colorful page, glancing up and down several times before folding up the map and pointing toward Adventureland and saying, “This way.”

Alfred smiled and patted Dick’s shoulder, “Lead on, my boy.”

Dick led them back to New Orleans Square and into line for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ ride.  As the boat set sail, Dick looked off to the right and saw an expanse of tables, some with people sitting around them.

Curiously, he asked, “Hey, Bruce.  Is that a restaurant?”

Looking over, Bruce nodded and said, “Sure looks like it, pal.  After we get off the ride, we should look into it.  Maybe we can have dinner there tonight.”

Dick kept his eyes on the few people having an early lunch and started to feel hungry himself.  He whispered, to no one in particular, “Wow, a restaurant inside of a ride, that’s so cool.”

Alfred leaned over and asked, “What was that, young master?”

Dick smiled and said, “I was saying that having a restaurant inside of a ride is really cooooooooooooool!”

The last word of his sentence was extended into a scream as the boat went over a waterfall.  Not paying attention to where the boat was going, all three were caught off guard as the boat descended into the ride.

After going down the second drop, Dick said, giggling, “I didn’t know this ride had drops in it.”

“Yes, that would have been nice to know.”  Alfred replied.  “At least they weren’t as big as the one on Splash Mountain.”

They passed pirate skeletons, derelict ships, and a treasure hoard and sailed straight into a pirate battle.  Dick thought it was cool right up to the point that the cannons on the ship started booming on their left and splashes of missed shots erupted on their right.  He ducked down into the boat, grabbing onto Bruce’s waist as he shouted, “They’re shooting at us!”

Several other passengers in the boat laughed as Bruce tried to comfort his boy.  “It’s okay, Dick.  It’s just special effects, like in the movies.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Dick sat up again, still holding on to Bruce.  He didn’t like the way the others had laughed.  _How was I supposed to know?  It’s not like I’ve ever been here before._

As the boat wound its way through the town, being sacked and looted by the pirates, curiosity got the better of him, and he had to ask, “Bruce, is this ride based on a movie?”

Bruce thought about it for a second before replying, “I don’t think so, Dick, why?”

“If it isn’t, I think it might make for a good movie.  You said you liked swashbuckling movies.  Don’t you think they could make a movie out of this?”

Bruce thought again, “Maybe…I don’t see why not.  They would have to punch up the script a bit, but it’s possible.  But…still, a movie based on an amusement park ride?  As far as I remember, Disney has always done it the other way around.”

Dick grew quiet as the boat started going up a large hill.  He turned to Alfred and said, “Get ready, Alfred!”

“Child, what are you talking about?”

“Remember Splash Mountain?  We had to climb that really big hill before the final drop?  This hill looks almost as big!”

Alfred shuddered, “Oh dear.  Why must they insist on these drops?  We had a perfectly nice ride down there, why ruin it with something like a large drop?”

Alfred squeezed his eyes shut as the boat crested the hill.  Expecting a large drop, he was mildly surprised to find an elevation decline of less than one foot, as the boat settled back into the channel and floated towards the exit.

Dick, who had been holding his arms straight above his head, with a large grin on his face, anticipating another thrill ride drop, came back to earth. “What?  Awwww, no fair!  I was all ready for a drop.”  Bruce just laughed in a good natured manner and tousled Dick’s dark hair.

At the exit to the ride, Bruce turned to his left and inquired about getting reservations for dinner at the Blue Bayou Restaurant.  He hoped Dick would still be as enthralled with the idea then as he was now. 

As Bruce finalized the meal plan, Dick pulled on Bruce’s arm.  The boy had been reading the menu on the stand outside of the restaurant.  “Uh…Bruce, we don’t have to eat here.”

Bruce looked confused.  _Ten minutes ago, it was the most interesting thing on the planet.  Now, he looks like he wants nothing more than to run away_.  _Wait, I’ve seen that look before._   “What’s up, chum?  Nothing on the menu sounds appetizing?”

Dick minced his words, letting Bruce know exactly what was wrong with the restaurant without the boy saying one word.  “It’s not that, it’s just…I mean…”  He pointed to the menu, “…Thirty dollars for a sandwich, Bruce!  We could get one of those six-foot long party sandwiches for less than that and have food for days.  There were times my parents didn’t spend thirty dollars on groceries to last three of us a week.”

Bruce walked the boy to a nearby bench and sat down, Alfred hanging close by.  “Dick…look at me.  I want straight answers to these questions, okay?”

Dick barely looked up, but met the man’s eyes and nodded, “Okay.”

“Did your parents love you?”

Shocked, Dick looked up fully into the man’s face.  He had never had cause to question it before.  Why was Bruce questioning it now?  “Yes, of course they did.  At least, I’m pretty sure they did.”

Bruce smiled, “Well, _I’m_ positive they did.  Did they give you everything they could, everything they had?”

“Yeah,” the boy sniffled a bit at the thought of birthdays and Christmases.  He remembered how his parents would scrimp and save all year to get him something, anything they thought would put a smile on his face.  He remembered how bad he felt, knowing they were going without, just to make him happy, and there was nothing he could give them in return to show his affection.  That was why he had pushed himself so hard to excel in the act.  He always thought, if he did his tricks well enough, then the family could earn some more money.  His mom had always said the only thing she ever wanted from him was a hug, so he made sure she always got his biggest and best, and as many as possible.

Placing a hand on Dick’s knee, Bruce continued.  “If your parents had been able, would they have brought you here?”

“Probably, I don’t know.”

“And, if they brought you here, would they not want you to experience everything?”

Dick pulled the Splash Mountain picture out of the bag and looked at it.  This time, when he looked at the two men holding him in the seat, he saw his parents, laughing and smiling along with him.  He couldn’t help but give a small smile at the thought.

“Dick, your parents were in a position where they couldn’t give you everything, but they gave you the most important thing, their love.  Now, you’re in a position where you could have almost anything you could ever want, and the only thing you ever ask for is what your parents gave you.  I try my best to give you that.  I want to give you all that, and more.  I know that the _things_ don’t mean much to you, that it’s the thought, the intent that matters.  In that regard, you’re more grown up than most of the world.  But you’re still a kid, and parents want to do things for their kids.”  Dick looked at Bruce again, his eyes shining, and Bruce realized too late that he just called himself Dick’s parent.  He swore that he would never try to replace John and Mary Grayson, but wasn’t Dick just as much his as theirs now?

“Chum, I know you aren’t comfortable with the big shows of wealth, but believe me when I say, if your parents were in the financial position that I am, they would want to use it to make sure their son was cared for and happy.  I like to think I know who Dick Grayson is by now, and I can say with certainty that you would be the same person you are now if you had grown up in a mansion, instead of a trailer.  It’s not where you grow up, it’s not the resources.  It’s the morals and values you’re taught, it’s the love you’re shown, that make the difference.  You have brought that into my life.  You give me a reason to come home from the office at a reasonable hour.  You give me a reason to be extra careful on patrol.  You give Alfred reason to believe that I’m not a lost cause anymore.  Now, with all you have given me in such a short time, can I be allowed to give a little back?”

Alfred had slipped a handkerchief to the boy as a couple tears leaked out of his eyes.  He opened his mouth to answer, but no words would come.  He nodded silently, instead, and leaned in to hug Bruce.  Bruce returned the hug, gently rubbing the boy’s back as he regained himself.  Alfred patted Bruce on the shoulder, giving his charge a warm smile when Bruce looked at the butler.

When Dick finally leaned back, Bruce continued softly.  “I know you say you don’t need the things, or even want them, due to the price attached, and I think that’s great.  However, I think you should stop looking at prices.  You are going to be you, and I’m going to be me, and things are going to keep showing up for you, because I will think it might be something you would like.  I know you may not need it, and even if you wanted it, you would say nothing because you don’t want to be seen as greedy.  I have never seen you that way, and I will never see you that way, because you aren’t that way.  You are, quite possibly, the most selfless almost-eleven year old in the world.  I am so proud that you have been able to keep the values your parents gave you.  That is far more valuable than anything I could buy for you.  But, since they already gave you the big thing, isn’t it okay if I sometimes get you the smaller things?”

Dick looked up at the questioning face.  He had never thought of the situation this way before.  He had told Bruce from day one that he wanted to earn everything; that Bruce didn’t have to throw his money away on him.  Now, the way Bruce was talking, it sounded like Bruce thought he had been earning all along.  _Has having me around really changed Bruce that much?  I can’t believe he was that different before I came to live with him.  He wanted to take me in, he said.  But why me?  I always thought he understood me, but now, I know for sure.  Is it so bad to let him do these nice things for me?  It makes him happy, he says, and I want to make him happy, because he came along and made me happy when I needed someone._

Dick spoke in a soft voice.  Bruce had to lean forward to hear what he was saying.  “You make me happy just by being there for me.  I don’t need anything else.”

Bruce whispered back, “And you make me happy, just by being you.  Since we both make each other happy just by being us and by being together, is it so bad to use what we have to make new experiences for each other?  Face it, chum, we are cursed with an overabundance of money.  It means very little to both of us; me, because I’ve always had it and learned long ago that it is just a tool, and you, because you never had it and learned to live quite well without it.  Money has a meaning, and we both have learned what it is in our own ways.  We’re not spending money to show off to the world how rich we are, we are using it as a means to make some memories.  Does that make it a little more comfortable for you?”

“I…I guess, when you put it like that, it does,” Dick nodded, thinking deep.  This trip was bound to be full of memories for all three of them.  Who was he to want to rein that in just because he was still uncomfortable with the fact that Bruce carried the same amount of money around in his wallet on a daily basis that his parents made in a year at the circus?  “I like the part about making memories.  We need all the good ones we can get, right?”

Bruce smiled, “Right, Dickie.  So, how about this: we’re already here, it doesn’t cost anything to cancel a reservation if you still don’t want to come back here later.  Let’s go back to the rides and decide about dinner later.  We can make a memory or two before dinner, right?”

Dick wiped his face with the handkerchief again and smiled as he looked to hand the handkerchief back to Alfred.  “Right, let’s make some…Where’s Alfred?”

Bruce looked around, surprised at the question.  “He’s right…Where’d he go?  He was right here a minute ago.”

Bruce and Dick stood and walked towards the Rivers of America, holding hands so they didn’t get separated in the growing crowd and looked around for the butler.  A minute later, they spotted Alfred approaching, carrying a tray of food and bottles of water.

As he passed them, he said, “I’m sorry, but I was getting a bit hungry, and thought that we could make it an early lunch.  I guess my stomach is still on the Eastern Time Zone.  Master Dick, would you be so kind as to pull out the chair, please?”  The two had followed in Alfred’s wake as he walked towards a row of tables outside of a restaurant.  A jazz band was playing for the early lunch crowd as Alfred passed plates and bottles of water to his charges.

Dick looked at his plate, not wanting to poke at the thing presented before him, but found himself unable to resist.  “Alfred, is this…?”

“Yes, dear boy.  If you will remove the lid, you will find what appears to be a hearty chili.  Today may be a bit warm for this type of meal, but the smell was irresistible.”

Still not the answer he was looking for, Dick prodded the container, “Yes, but this, this is a…?”

“A sourdough bread boule, Master Dick.”

The child giggled, “Chili in a bread bowl?  I’ve never seen that before.  This must save on washing dishes after lunch, right?  Wait, we can eat the bread too, right?”

Alfred gave a short nod, “I have seen no rule that says the bread bowl must be returned after consuming the chili.”

Bruce nudged Dick’s shoulder, “Eat up, chum, before the chili sits out too long and gets hotter.”

Dick picked up his spoon and giggled again, “Wouldn’t it get colder if it sits out?”

Bruce wiped sweat off his forehead with a napkin, “Not today, it wouldn’t.”

The three ate their lunch in relative silence, all three silently hoping that the crisis of self was over for the day.  The jazz band played on, finishing their set.   They walked out of the restaurant, playing ‘When the Saints go Marching In.’  As they left, the trumpet player walked by their table, still playing with one hand as he dropped a string of green, plastic beads around Dick’s neck with the other.  Dick smiled and shouted over the music, “Thank you!” as the musician danced away, giving a turn and a dip of his horn as a ‘you’re welcome.’

With his chili gone, and a good portion of the bread bowl devoured, Dick leaned back from the table, his hands on his stomach as he smiled contentedly.  Bruce looked at the boy out of the corner of his eye and grinned, exchanging a look with Alfred.  Dick seemed to be back to happy mode, and Bruce would forever praise Alfred for his distracting choice of meal for lunch.

A small burp escaped the child.  He quickly covered his mouth, looking embarrassed.  “Sorry, excuse me.  That was really good.  I couldn’t eat another bite.  Sorry to waste food, Alfred.”

The old butler just smiled.  “That is quite alright, child.  It was a lot of food to begin with.  You made a concerted effort.  There is no need to apologize, when forcing yourself to finish what’s left will make you sick.”

Bruce chimed in, “You did well, sport.”

Dick brightened, “I wanted to eat as much as I could.  Leslie…Dr. Thompkins, sorry, still says that I’m underweight.  Is she ever going to stop saying that?  I eat everything I can, I just don’t seem to be able to gain weight.  There’s not anything _wrong_ with me, is there?”

“No, pal.  You just have a high metabolism.  That’s a good thing.  Sure, you may be a bit underweight, but you are active and healthy.  If she was really concerned about it, she would have done something about it by now.  It’s just her job to point it out.”

Dick pulled out the guide map and looked to see where they were going next.  He was hoping to get on the next roller coaster, but a steam whistle caught his attention as a white paddle steamer was pulling to dock on the other side of the river.

Bruce asked, “What’s next, chum?”

Dick looked up from the map, “Well, I want to do this one, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but I don’t think my stomach would like that too much right now.  How about we see if they will let us ride that boat that just stopped over there?”

Alfred began to clear the table of their trash when Dick jumped up and said, “Stop, Alfred!”

Startled, Alfred looked at Dick, “What, child?  What’s wrong?”

Dick grabbed the tray from the man and said, “Don’t you remember yesterday?  This is your vacation, I’m supposed to be waiting on you.”

Shocked, Alfred stood there as Dick took the tray and piled the trash on it.  He then had to make a conscious effort to keep his jaw from sagging as Dick wiped their crumbs off the table and onto the tray before marching over to the trash can and throwing away the trash.  He added their tray to the stack on top of the can and walked back to the stunned grown-ups with a smile on his face.

Looking around the table, Dick asked, “Did I miss anything?”

“Just this, my boy.”  Alfred kneeled down in front of Dick and broke his rule on public displays of affection by giving the boy a tight hug.  Dick returned the hug with a small sigh.

As they walked towards the boat, Dick said to Bruce, “Now I see where you learned it from.  Alfred gives good hugs, too.”

Bruce smiled at the slightly embarrassed look on the butler’s face, “He does, at that.  You should remember that one; it is probably the most public hug Alfred has ever given.  His mean even more, because they are only given for a good reason.”

“Wow.  So, did I do something right to earn that?”  Dick looked up at Alfred.

“Of course, child.  You kept a promise, one that never should have been made or adhered to.  A man’s word is his bond, and it pleases me that I now know exactly what kind of man you will be when you get older.  Just don’t get older too fast.”  Alfred’s hand squeezed Dick’s shoulder softly.

Dick looked thoughtful as they boarded the Mark Twain and took seats at the bow of the boat.  He pulled his chair closer to the butler and said, “My dad used to say that all the time.  I think you two would have gotten along.”

“If you are anything to judge the Grayson family by, then I would have to agree, young Master.”

Bruce threw an arm around Dick and a smile at Alfred as the boat pulled out of dock.  _This is more my speed_ , Bruce thought as he began to truly relax.  They had found an idyllic setting in the bustling theme park, and he was able to enjoy it with the two people in the world who meant the most to him.

Dick suddenly shrugged Bruce’s arm off his shoulders.  To say Bruce was shocked would be an understatement.  Dick had never purposefully broken off any sort of contact from the man, and would usually complain that he wanted more.  Bruce took his eyes off the island the boat was making its way around in time to see Dick stand up and wordlessly plop himself down in his guardian’s lap.  Pushing himself back into the man, Dick laid his head on Bruce’s shoulder and whispered, “This is nice.”

Bruce could not agree more, and as he heard the surreptitious click of Alfred’s camera, he knew the butler agreed as well.

Far too soon for Bruce’s wishing, the paddle steamer returned to the dock, and all passengers were asked to disembark.  Across from the dock was the entrance to the line for the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Bruce assumed Dick would be dragging them there next, so he headed off in that direction.  When Dick didn’t follow, Bruce returned to the boy.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to ride that one?” Bruce asked.

Dick looked thoughtful, “I do, but…I don’t know.  Something is telling me to wait on that one for later.  We can always come back, I guess.  Let’s follow that path and see where it comes out.”

As they walked off, Bruce said, “You have a map, you can find out where the path goes, you know.”

The boy bounced happily at his side, “I know, but where is the fun without a little exploration?  We can be like…um, who were those guys?  You know, the explorers?”

Alfred posited, “Surely you must mean Livingstone, Burton, and Speke?”

Dick shook his head, “Yeah, they were explorers, but I was thinking of the other ones.  You know, the American guys…We learned about them this year.  I had to do a report on them.”

Bruce asked, “Lewis and Clark?”

Dick snapped his fingers, “Yeah!  Those guys.  We can blaze our own trail…”

Bruce laughed, “…Through the back paths of Disneyland?  With nothing but our trusty map, keen sense of direction, and the knowledge that we are among thousands of people in the middle of Southern California to guide us?”

Dick returned the laugh, “Well, when you say it that way, it just sounds silly.  Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?”

Alfred spoke up, “Adventure?  No, Master Dick.  I believe this section of the park would be better suited for fantasy, instead.”  As they exited the path, the trio found themselves in the back side of Fantasyland.  Dick looked around in wonder again, as he had when entering every new section of the park today, until his eyes fixated on one of the several things Disney Bruce had tried to keep from the boy.

“Are those…elephants?”

Alfred, not knowing that Bruce had tried very hard to keep any mention of the movie Dumbo away from his son, answered, “Yes, Master Dick.  I believe they are from the movie Dumbo.  Surely you have seen that one, given your upbringing.”

The boy shook his head as they approached the ride.  “No.  I’ve never even heard of that one.  What’s it about…wait, are those elephants _decorated?_   Is this a movie about _circus_ elephants?”

Bruce closed his eyes and winced, then opened his eyes and looked around.  Seeing a bench near the attraction, Bruce pulled the boy over and sat him down.  Staring into his intense, young eyes, Bruce began, “Chum, I had hoped you wouldn’t find out about that one until you were a bit older.  It’s...It’s not a good movie, not for you.”

Now, Dick was curious, “What’s wrong with it, Bruce?  It’s a Disney movie, right?  So, I mean, there’s no _bad_ stuff in it, right?”

“Dick…okay.  The movie is about a circus elephant named Dumbo…”

“…That’s not a very nice name.”

“It’s an old movie.  Sensitivities were different then.  Anyway, the stork brings Dumbo to his mother at the circus.”

Dick deadpanned, “The stork?  Really, Bruce?  I’m eleven, well almost, I’m not a baby.”

“Do you want me to explain the movie, or not.  I’m not trying to sugarcoat anything.  It’s an old movie, they couldn’t animate an elephant giving birth.  Anyway, this baby elephant has really big ears, and people make fun of him for it.”

“That’s stupid.”

“I know, Dick, shut up and let me finish.  Dumbo finds out that his giant ears enable him to fly.  Don’t ask, it’s a movie, it doesn’t have to make sense!  Well, people keep making fun of him for his big ears, and his mother gets angry.”

“Oh, I’ve seen angry circus elephant before.  It’s…scary.”

“Well, then you know what happens next.  Mother gets angry and goes on a rampage.  For everyone’s safety, mother is taken away and locked up, and Dumbo doesn’t see her again for a long time, and all he wants is his mother back.  Other stuff happens for the rest of the movie, but I think you can see why I’ve kept this one from you.  You have a hard enough time with the Lion King, I don’t think this one will be any easier.  Now, if you want, one of these days, I’ll watch it with you, but to be honest, I don’t think you will make it through the whole thing just yet.  It hurts me to see you in that kind of pain, Dickie.”

Dick nodded, his eyes shining with tears he refused to shed, and his voice thick with emotion.  He whispered, “Okay, I understand.  Thank you, Bruce.  Can…can we still go on the ride, though.  I mean, since we’re here?”

“Of course, chum.”

They rode around in their fiberglass elephant, Dick pressing closer to Bruce than absolutely necessary while thinking about the movie outline Bruce had provided.  _I see why he hid that one from me.  Elephants are supposed to be happy, those elephants in the movie didn’t sound happy._

Exiting the ride, Dick had his arms crossed firmly over his chest.  Bruce didn’t think anything of it just yet; he assumed that the spinning and elevation changes of the ride, combined with a stomach full of chili and sourdough bread, may have left his child feeling a bit queasy.  Apparently, it had left Alfred in the same manner, as the butler excused himself to find the nearest restroom.

As they waited, Dick slumped down on a nearby bench, looking far less excited than he had after getting off the previous ride.  Bruce sat next to the boy and nudged him with his elbow, “Chum?  Want to talk about it?”

“Huh?  Oh, sorry,” The boy seemed to snap out of a trance, “I was just…thinking.”

_Ah, geez, there goes my sensitive boy again._   “Thinking about the movie, pal?”

“No.  Well, yes and no.  It’s just…people shouldn’t be that mean to each other.  And they definitely shouldn’t be mean to elephants.  I mean, they’re nice.  Elephants are the biggest land creatures in the world, and they’re _gentle._   They don’t act, they react.  I know bad things happen, but why do they have to happen to elephants?  Why would Disney make a movie that centered on animal abuse?”

_Oh, boy.  Now I have to make sure he_ never _finds out about Old Yeller._   “The movie isn’t about animal abuse, it’s just used as a catalyst to help Dumbo reach his full potential.”

“Yeah, but why use it at all?”

“Because the movie was made in another time, a time before society as a whole realized that animals have feelings too.  We don’t live in a perfect world, and we definitely don’t live in a perfect society, but I think we can agree that we are making progress.  You just happen to be a better person than most of the world.  You understand things that at least seventy-five percent of the population doesn’t even care to know exist.  I’m afraid that you are just more enlightened than the rest of the world.  Don’t think of it as something that should make you sad; think about it as a call to action, a way to call attention to a problem.  Now you know how widespread the problem is, what is it going to inspire you to do?”

Dick looked thoughtful, and the depressed look fled from his eyes.  “Um…Bruce?  I hate to ask this, but…I know what I want for my birthday.  Well, probably for my next hundred birthdays, since I know it’s kinda asking for a lot.”

“Why don’t you let me judge if what you’re asking for is too much, huh?”

“Um…well…you know those commercials that we always turn off?  The ones that make us cry, with the puppies and kittens locked up in the animal shelters?  Well…um…do you think…um…do you think we could make a…a…adonationtoonethathelpselephants?”  Dick’s last words were a jumble as he pushed to get them out before he lost his nerve.

Bruce knew this was no laughing matter for the boy, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face at how nervous Dick looked.  “I’m sorry, say that again, kiddo?”

Dick looked down, expecting a ‘no’ answer, “Can we make a donation to an animal group that helps elephants?  That can be my birthday present for, like, the next hundred years.  You would never have to buy me anything again.  I would never ask for anything ever again, Bruce.  Please?”

Bruce’s smile grew warmer, “Dick, first of all, you have never asked for anything in the past, so why would I mind if you asked for anything in the future?  Second, why did you say you hate to ask?”

“Bruce…I guess I don’t want you to be disappointed in me for asking for money.  I…I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

The smile fell from Bruce’s face, “Dick, you are not greedy.  We talked about this an hour ago.  You didn’t ask for money for the sake of having money; you asked for me to make a charitable donation in your name to a worthy cause.  I can’t tell you how proud I am of you in this moment.  So, when we get home, you will find the charity of your choice, and we will see about the donation.”

Dick looked up, constantly amazed at how generous Bruce could be, no matter how the man maintained he was not a warm person.  He wrapped his arms around Bruce’s neck and whispered his thanks in the man’s ear.

When they separated again, the smile was back on Bruce’s face.  “So, how much of a donation did you want to make?”

Dick’s eyes widened.  He hadn’t thought that far ahead.  In fact, Dick had assumed that Bruce would say no the second Dick mentioned money.  “Gee, I didn’t even think about that.” Dick didn’t want to throw out a large figure and make Bruce retract his statement about Dick’s lack of greed.  “I don’t know, maybe two hundred dollars?”

Bruce’s eyes widened at the figure, making Dick cringe, “I’m sorry, is that too much?”

“Dick, I thought you said you wanted to make a donation?  If we’re going to make a donation, then we’re going to make one that will do some good.  I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of five hundred thousand dollars.”

Bruce thought Dick’s eyes were going to fall out of his head as his eyes widened at the sum.  The boy whispered, “Bruce, you would do that?  You can afford to do that?  You…I…just how rich are you, Bruce?”

Bruce smiled, knowing he would have to have this conversation with Dick someday.  “Dick, you know that I run my own company.  You know that I inherited seven generations worth of accumulated wealth through the family funds.  I assure you, we are in no danger of having the manor foreclosed on if I make this donation.  When the next quarterly stock dividends are paid in two months, I stand to make several times that amount, and I guess I should mention, so do you.”

Dick looked confused, “What do you mean?”

Alfred approached and asked, “This looks like quite a serious conversation, gentlemen.  We are discussing something fun, I hope?”

Bruce patted the bench next to Dick for Alfred to sit down.  As the butler did, Bruce filled him in, “Dick has decided on what he wants for his birthday.  Our talk about Dumbo has awakened the charitable spirit in our boy, and he would like a donation made to an elephant preservation program.  We were discussing the amount, and how the amount I was thinking of in no way will break the bank.”

Alfred beamed at the child, “Quite the noble gesture, Master Dick.  I assume you asked for this in lieu of presents?”

“Of course, Alfred.”

Nodding, the butler continued, “I see.  Well, Master Bruce, whatever shall we do with the presents at home?”

“I don’t know, Alfred.  If only we knew someone who cared more about others than he does about himself.  Someone who cares more about the people, than the places or things.  Someone who makes us happy on a daily basis, and deserves far more than he thinks he does.  Someone…”

Dick interrupted, rolling his eyes, “Okay, Bruce.  I get it.  We talked about this an hour ago, too.  You made it clear that you are going to keep doing things how you want them done in your house.  Are you serious about the donation?”

“ _Our house,_ pal, not _my_ house.  Like I said, you want a donation that will make an impact, so yes, I’m serious.”

They got up and began wandering around Fantasyland as they talked.

“Bruce, what did you mean when you said I stand to make several times the donation when the next stock thingy comes out?”

“Remember at Christmas, when I said you would always be taken care of, no matter what happened to any of us?  Well, that included the purchase of a small stock portfolio in your name.  As you might guess, it leans heavily towards Wayne Enterprises shares, but there are a few others in there that I think you might like.”

“Bruuuuce!  I don’t want your money, I told you that.” Dick said exasperatedly.

Bruce just smiled, “I know you don’t, that’s why this is _your_ money.  Everything is in your name, held in a trust account until you turn eighteen.  Dick, don’t give me that look.  It is very common for parents to start savings accounts for their children when they’re born.  Since I’m not your actual parent, I had to make up for a late start, so I helped it along a bit.”

Dick looked thoughtful, then brightened, “Oh!  That means we can make the donation from my money, instead of yours.”

“Nope, we can’t touch your account until you turn eighteen.  Besides, you asked me for it for a birthday present, I can’t very well back out now.”

“…But…”

“No, no more.  We can have a long talk about it when we get home.  For now, look around; we’re at Disneyland, and we’re wasting daylight.  What’s next, chum?”

Slightly embarrassed, Dick looked around, having no idea where they were, or how far they had walked.  “Um…how about that big, white building?”

As they approached the building in question, a clock on the front struck the hour, and the entire front opened up like a giant cuckoo clock.  Giant figures rotated around the front of the building on tracks, ringing bells and spinning in circles.  The three men stood in wonder, amazed at all the details Disney had managed to build into his park.

Grabbing Bruce’s hand, Dick dragged the man to the line, Alfred following close behind.  Entering the small boat of ‘It’s a Small World’, Dick was bouncing with excitement. 

Bruce laughed, “Chum, you’re going to sink the boat with all that bouncing.”

Looking over the side of the boat, into the channel, Dick smiled and said, “Bruce, that wouldn’t even come up to my waist.  I think we’ll be okay.”

The boat floated its way into the building, and the men were assaulted by bright colors and cheery music.  Dancing robotic children frolicked in their preplanned movements.  Music blared from every angle, overwhelming the senses and invading the mind.

As the boat floated out of the building, Alfred was whistling the new song that had driven the Tiki Room theme from his mind.  Bruce and Dick sat, their mouths slightly open, dazed at the assault they had just endured.

“Bruce,” Dick spoke without turning his head.

“Yeah, chum?”

“That was weird.  Let’s never do that again, huh?”

Bruce nodded absently, “Yeah.  Yeah, no more of that.”

As they walked away from the ride, still stunned, Dick said, “I love Disney stuff, and I’ve wanted to come here my whole life, but Walt Disney was a strange man, wasn’t he?”

Bruce looked at the boy quizzically.  “How so, pal?”

“I mean, to come up with all this stuff.  Who thinks of these things?  _How_ do they think of these things?”

“Don’t know, pal, but come on, what’s next?”

“Um…How about the carrousel?  I can’t imagine there would be anything as…disturbing…as the last one on a simple carrousel.”

It turned out that Dick was right.  His mind was settled as he bobbed up and down on the painted pony, listening to the vaguely circus-inspired music.  For the first time today, Dick wanted to stay in one spot in the amusement park.  _I think I could ride this three or four more times.  I wonder if Bruce would allow us to go around again._

Bruce watched Dick as the child’s features transformed from mild concern to extremely relaxed.  _I wonder if he wants to see if they will let him go around again._

As the ride ended and Dick climbed off his mount, he trailed his hand slowly across the painted wood, almost longingly, before turning to Bruce.  He took the man’s hand as they made their way to the exit, where Alfred was waiting. 

“Did you enjoy your ride, Master Dick?”

“Yeah, Alfred.  I like carrousels.”

Bruce didn’t need to hear any more.  Still holding the boy’s hand, Bruce gently pulled the child back into the line.  Dick looked up at his guardian with a look that expressed both curiosity and gratitude.  Bruce just shot the boy a half smirk in reply.  When they were let back on to the spinning ride, Dick made his way back to the same horse.  Bruce lifted the child easily into the seat, but instead of going for his own mount, Bruce stood next to Dick and let the boy lean into his shoulder.

As they waited for the ride to start, Dick said in a low tone, “Thanks, dad.  How did you know I wanted to go around again?”

“Because you looked relaxed on that horse, more relaxed than I have seen you since before we left Gotham.   I like seeing that.  Maybe I should put a carrousel in the back yard?”

Dick’s mouth gaped in awe, knowing that Bruce would at least look into getting one if Dick so much as showed the slightest interest in having one.  _I bet a carrousel is really expensive, though._

Dick’s awed look dissolved into one of deep thought.  _I know how to dissuade him._   “You can’t put a carrousel in the back yard, it rains too much in Gotham.  Now, maybe in the cave…”

Dick trailed off suggestively as Bruce’s jaw dropped.  He sent a knowing smirk at the child as the ride started, and kept an arm wrapped around Dick’s waist throughout the ride.

As they got off the ride for the second time, Bruce couldn’t help but notice that Alfred was putting the camera back in his pocket.  Knowing he was caught, the butler just smiled and said, “If either of you two gentlemen are interested, I believe there is a parade starting soon.  We should be able to get some good seats still.”

“What do you say, chum?”

“I don’t know.  I’ve never seen a parade that I wasn’t a part of.  Let’s do it, this should be neat.”

Bruce smiled at the boy, “What do you call that thing we watch on T.V. New Year’s morning?  And, when were you in a parade?”

Dick smiled as they walked, “You know what I mean.  I’ve never seen one…you know…live.  As for being in parades, whenever we got an extended stay in a town, Pop Haly always tried to set up the circus parade down the main street.  Most of the bigger cities wouldn’t go for it, but smaller towns loved it.  Gotham wouldn’t let us do it, but I think that was mostly because we were on the outskirts of town, and we didn’t have to cross town to get to the festival grounds.”  Dick grew a wistful look in his eyes and whispered softly to Bruce, “Now that I have seen it from above, I can just imagine riding Bertha down Mayor Daly Boulevard in the center of Gotham.”

As Bruce pictured the boy waving from the top of an elephant as he rode through the middle of the city, a small smile crossed his lips before he asked, “Bertha?”

Dick snapped out of his reverie.  “Yeah, Bertha.  Oh, that was the elephant that I was petting in the pens last month, you know, before we got kicked out.”

They found a bench next to what the guide map said was the parade route and sat to wait.  The afternoon sun blazed overhead, but Dick still leaned into the body beside him.  Bruce looked down at the dark head nestled into his side and decided the extra heat was worth it.  He wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulders and said softly, “Hey, are you having fun, chum?”

“ _So_ much fun, dad.  Thanks so much.  Are you…hey, where’s Alfred?”

Bruce looked around, startled to find that the butler was nowhere in sight again.  “Huh.  He’s better at that than I am.”

Dick looked up at the man, “Better at what?”

“Disappearing without a trace.”

Dick giggled, “Well, you had to learn it from somewhere.”

Before Bruce could respond, an announcement came over hidden speakers, declaring that the 4:30 parade would begin in just a few minutes.  Dick grabbed Bruce’s arm to look at his watch, which read 7:20, as it was still on East Coast time.  “Wow, it really is that late.  This day is just flying by.  We really aren’t going to get to see everything, are we, Bruce?”

“Probably not, pal, but we got to see an awful lot, and there is still plenty of time before the park closes at midnight.”

Dick looked up with a cautious smile on his face, “Can we _really_ stay until midnight?”

“Can you stay awake until midnight?”

“Bruce, we’re at _Disneyland!_   I could stay awake for days if I had to.”

Bruce chuckled, then looked up to see Alfred approaching out of the crowd.  Bruce had to do a double-take to make sure he was actually seeing what he was seeing.  Alfred approached the bench holding three ice cream cones in his hands, and passed them out to his younger charges.

Both Bruce and Dick held the cones and looked at Alfred, waiting for an explanation and wondering if the man was feeling alright.  Bruce spoke up, “Alfred?  Are you feeling okay?  You aren’t getting sunstroke or anything, right?”

The butler sat down next to Dick and took a lick of his ice cream before responding.  “Of course not, Master Bruce.  It’s hot, we have a few minutes before the parade starts, and it’s a special occasion.  I, for one, needed a snack.”  When the younger pair still stared at him, Alfred turned to face them fully, “Go on, before it melts.”

Dick was the first to break out of his shock and put his tongue to the frozen treat.  “Mmmm…rainbow sherbet.  Thanks, Alfred.”

The butler smiled at the remark.  “You’re quite welcome, young sir.  It is quite good, isn’t it?”

Bruce had to agree as his treat disappeared quicker than he thought it might.  He had planned on saving some of his as an extra treat for Dick, and was quite surprised when his hands were empty.  It didn’t matter, as Dick was close behind him in finishing his cone.  Alfred passed out napkins to wipe sticky faces, and made to collect the trash when Dick snatched it out of his hand.

“Master Dick?”

“Remember our promise,” Dick said with a sly grin.  He dutifully collected the trash and scampered over to a nearby trashcan to deposit it.

“What did we do to deserve him, Master Bruce?” Alfred asked when Dick was out of earshot.

“Must have been you.  We both know I haven’t done anything to deserve someone as special as him.”

As they watched Dick trot back to the bench, Alfred thought ‘ _I don’t know, sir, you are both pretty special.  You definitely deserve each other.’_

The parade started right on time, and Dick got a kick out of the floats and characters dancing along to the music.  Everything was going great until a float depicting Pride Rock, complete with an adult Simba, passed by.  Dick’s mood took a complete turn for the worse, and within seconds the boy was biting his lip and taking deep breaths in a vain effort not to cry in Disneyland.

As soon as Bruce heard ‘Circle of Life’ start playing from the hidden speakers, his eyes darted to his son.  He saw Dick’s bottom lip get sucked into his mouth to serve as chew fodder and his eyes grow a faraway, pained look.  As the narrow shoulders began quaking in the boy’s effort to control himself, Bruce began looking for a dark, out of the way corner.  _My son is not going to break down here, not in front of everyone._

Bruce thought it was a purposely cruel act that the Pride Rock float stopped right in front of them, instead of moving on down the route.  He was about to say something to a cast member when the song started over again, leading Dick’s hand to wrap around Bruce’s elbow for support.  Growing angrier, Bruce was whipping his head around, looking for both an employee and a secluded spot for Dick.  Bruce finally saw an employee hurrying up and figured out that it wasn’t a deliberate act.  _Oh, that’s a maintenance tech, and he’s…yep, the float broke down._

Pleading, watery eyes met his own, and Bruce knew Dick couldn’t take it anymore.  _That’ll have to do_.  He took Dick’s hand and led him towards a wall.  As they approached, the wall opened, and turned out to be a doorway for cast members to get behind the scenes.  Turning, Bruce saw exactly what he was looking for, a door marked ‘Family Restroom’.  Bruce opened the door and saw a secluded, if not quite sanitary, space.  He dragged Dick inside and locked the door.

Kneeling, he pulled the boy in tight, whispering, “Dickie, chum, I’m sorry, baby.”

The boy broke down, finally letting himself go.  Bruce let him cry for a minute before trying to talk again.

“My brave boy.  You did so well.  Let it out.  Let it all out.”

Dick collapsed into Bruce’s lap as he kneeled on the tile floor.  His voice hitching, Dick tried to speak.  “I’m sorry, Bruce.  I tried, I really did.  Why…why did it have to stop there?  Why does it still hurt so much?”

Bruce thought he would try something, “Because you’re my Simba.”

Dick snorted, “Yeah, the useless little lion that got his dad killed.”

“NO!”  Bruce used his ‘strict’ voice, not quite dipping into ‘Batman’, but definitely leaning towards ‘angry boardroom’.  It was enough for Dick’s head to snap up.  “No, the cute little happy lion, who had something terrible happen to him, but grew up strong and came back better than before.”

Dick quailed as he sobbed again.  “…But, I’m _not_ strong, Bruce.  I cry all the time.  I hate it.”

Bruce lifted the boy’s face with a kind smile, “You forget, Simba had to grow up before he found his strength.  You’re still just a little lion, you need time.  Trust me, you’re stronger than you think.”

Several minutes passed before there was a knock on the door.  “Just a minute, damn it,” Bruce growled at the door.

Dick wiped his face on a paper towel and stood up shakily, nodding to Bruce.  The man opened the door to find Alfred on the other side.  “Oh, sorry Alfred.”

“Sorry for what, sir?”  The butler had heard the outburst, but was tactful enough to not point it out.

They left the bathroom after Alfred assured them that the parade was over and out of sight, and returned to the bench where they had watched most of the parade.  Dick slouched on the painted wooden slats, feeling less than enthusiastic about continuing their day.

Bruce could see the turmoil on the boy’s face, and knew what was bothering the boy now.  “What do you want to do next, chum?”

Dick sighed and closed his eyes.  Bruce placed a hand on his shoulders and said, “It’s okay if you want to leave, Dick.  We aren’t going to be mad at you.  We want this to be a good experience for you.”

Dick turned his head towards Bruce, but couldn’t look him in the face.  Staring straight at the man’s elbow, Dick said, “…But, we’ve only seen, like, half the park…and you paid a lot for the tickets.  I don’t want to waste the rest of the day.”

Alfred asked, curiously, “If it was free to get into the park, then what would you want to do?”

Dick thought for a second, “Um…well, I guess I would want to go back to the hotel and take a nap.”

Alfred gave a small smile and said, “Then that is what we should do.”

Dick looked up at the butler, who was standing slightly behind the bench, “What do you mean, Alfred?  It wasn’t free to get in.”

“Upon leaving the park, if you allow them to stamp your hand, you may return on the same day.  Just show them the stamp and your ticket stub, and you will be allowed back in without having to buy another ticket.  You can take your nap and still return in time for the fireworks.”

“For free, Alfred?”

“Yes, dear boy, for free.”

Dick looked hopefully at Bruce, “Can we do that?  Please?”

“Of course, pal.  A nap kinda sounds good right now.”

The three men walked down the middle of Main Street and exited the park.  As they waited for the tram, Dick stood and turned his left hand back and forth, trying to read what the stamp said.  Bruce secretly hoped he wouldn’t be able to make it out, because he could clearly read ‘Simba’ in yellow ink on the back of his own hand.

As the tram approached, he heard a gasp from his side, signifying that Dick was finally able to read the word.  He expected more sniffles, but, glancing down, he just found the boy staring curiously at the word.  _I wonder what he is thinking about that._

The ride back to the hotel was uneventful.  However, the wind passing through the open tram car caused both man and boy to shiver.  _It’s ninety degrees out today,_ Bruce thought, _how is this tram ride this cold?_

After they got to their floor and bid Alfred adieu outside their door, they entered the cool, darkened suite.  Bruce sat on the bed and gratefully took off his shoes, while Dick closed himself in the bathroom.  He was gone for several minutes, during which time Bruce heard the sink go on and off several times.  _That kiddo, playing around._

Just as Bruce was about to knock on the door and check on Dick, the boy came out of the bathroom.  He was clad in just his underwear, and Bruce could see several damp patches on his arms and back shining dully in the dim light.  Bruce held back a giggle that would have been very un-Batman-like.

“Decide to take a shower, chum?”

“Huh?  Oh, well, I was all hot and sticky, so I thought it would feel good.”

Bruce couldn’t keep the smile off his face, “You could have used the actual shower, instead of the sink.”

Dick stopped at the foot of the bed, “I thought about that, but I didn’t want to wash the stamp off.  Then I remembered something mom used to do when we didn’t have good water hookups for the trailer.  I just used a washcloth and…you know…sponge bath.  Just to wipe off the sweat and dust.”

Bruce smiled fully and said quietly, “Clever bird.  Feeling better?”

Dick idly wondered if Bruce was just talking about the sponge bath, “Yeah, lots.  Hey, you want me to do you?  A sponge bath, I mean?  We can both feel better.  You _are_ kinda sweaty.”

Dick looked so hopeful to be of any help to Bruce that he actually considered the proposal.  _It would be nice to get some of the sweat off, but then again, I can just take a shower.  If I do that, kiddo will think I don’t want to go back to Disneyland, because I’m taking the chance of washing the stamp off.  Kiddo just wants to feel useful, like he can do something without devolving into tears.  He just wants to help, and it wouldn’t be so bad to let him do that._

“Maybe you could do my back, pal?  I think I can handle the rest.”

Dick smiled from the foot of the bed, “Are you sure?  I don’t mind doing more.  I just want to be helpful.”

Bruce returned the smile and got up.  Placing a hand on Dick’s still-damp back, he guided the boy back into the bathroom.  “I’m sure, chum, and you are being very helpful.”

Dick grabbed and wet another washcloth as Bruce took off his shirt.  Dick looked up at the man and said, “Um…I think you have to sit down.”

Bruce sat on the toilet and allowed his boy to scrub his back, neck, and shoulders.  Bruce had to admit that it felt good to have the sweat of the day washed away, and it felt even more special to know that someone so dear to him was performing the deed.

As Dick rewet the cloth and began carefully cleansing Bruce’s arms, the man could feel a small finger run along his back, tracing the network of scars that years of crime fighting had left behind.  A small voice sounded from behind the man as an arm was lifted and a side wiped down.  “Am…am I going to have scars like that when I’m older?”

Bruce winced at the thought.  Dick already had a small collection of permanent marks from his short time as Robin, and Bruce considered each one a failure on his part.  “Not if I have anything to say about it, kiddo.  Robin has left you with too many scars as it is.”  Bruce turned and held the boy’s shoulders, his finger inadvertently landing in Dick’s very first Robin scar, a lucky knife slash to the upper arm.  “Learn from me, from my mistakes.  You are already amazing out there, but you will get better.  And, when you do, maybe we can keep you from getting the road map.” 

Dick nodded solemnly and was pulled in by strong, scarred arms.  “Come on, you’ll feel better after that nap you were talking about.”

Bruce led Dick back to the beds, feeling cleaner, but just a bit sad about where the conversation had turned.  He glanced down at Dick’s bowed head and thought, ‘ _He won’t stay in his own bed right now, even if I tied him down, might as well not make him sneak in with me.’_   He sat on his bed, and Dick began to turn towards his own bed when Bruce kept hold of his wrist.  Dick looked down at the hand, lightly holding his wrist, then up at the face to which it belonged.  Bruce smirked at the boy, then glanced down at the bed.  Dick’s face broke into a grin as he threw himself at Bruce, knocking both of them back onto the older man’s bed with a giggle.  Bruce situated himself and was about to tell Dick to get comfortable when he heard a soft snore emanate from the boy.  _That was quick,_ Bruce thought.  He softly ran fingers through the dark hair laying on his chest, and quickly followed the boy into sleep.

Dick awoke with a contented sigh as the sun began to dip below the horizon.  A comforting arm was wrapped around his shoulders as another comforting hand was gently massaging his scalp.  All was right with the world in the several minutes that followed, until a rumble emanated from somewhere below his ear.

Dick couldn’t contain a giggle at the burbling noise.  “What was that?” Dick said softly as he rolled his head off the warm chest.

“I’m getting hungry, chum,” was replied just as softly.  “Feeling better?”

Dick stretched as much as he could without dislodging the arm from his shoulders.  He felt safe in Bruce’s arms, like nothing could hurt him, _not even my nightmares._   “Yeah.  How long did we sleep?”

“Sun’s just starting to set, a couple hours.”

“Oh,” Dick turned to face Bruce, “Are we going on patrol later?”

Bruce laughed, “If by ‘patrol’ you mean going back to Disneyland, then that is completely up to you.”

Dick’s face flushed, “Sorry, just so used to asking if you’re going out.  I was so comfortable, I kinda forgot where we are.  Um…well, we at least have to go for dinner, or it sounds like your stomach might go without you.”  The boy laughed as Bruce’s stomach rumbled again.

Bruce squeezed the shoulder protectively and ruffled the dark locks, “Come on; let’s get ready.  You won’t be mad if Alfred decides not to join us back at the park, right?”

Dick sat up and gave Bruce a quizzical look, “Why?  Did he say he wasn’t coming?”

“No, but it was really hot today, and Alfred is no spring chicken anymore.”

“Alfred’s not old, Bruce.  I kinda did wear him out, though, didn’t I?”  Dick glanced at the bed in shame.  “I didn’t keep my promise.  I’m sorry, Bruce.”

Bruce sighed, “You did just fine, pal.  Amusement parks are for the young.  And, no, he’s not old.  He just has a lot more experience than either of us.”

Dick looked back up in wry amusement, “Well, he at least has to join us for dinner.  He has to.”

Bruce returned the smile, “Are you going to force him?”

“I’ll pout if I have to.  You told me that my pout is as effective a weapon as your glare, so it has to work.”

“Get dressed, Dickie, then we’ll go see Alfred.  I’ll glare, you’ll pout, and the effects will cancel each other out,” Bruce gently shoved the boy off the bed as he got up to pull out clean clothes.

“What’s that mean?”

“I’ll set him on fire with the power of my glare, then you’ll come along and pout, and the resultant flow of tears will allow him to put out his own flames.  Sound good?”

Dick just laughed as he pulled on a clean pair of shorts and a shirt.  As he was tying his shoes a minute later, he asked, “Do you still have your stamp?”

Bruce checked his wrist, “Sure do, how about you?”

“Yep.”

“Um…how do you feel about what it says?”

“I wasn’t sure at first,” the boy looked up, meeting Bruce’s eyes, “I think, after our talk, it’s okay now.  Now, I’ve been branded ‘Simba’, and after the way you explained it, I kinda think I like it.  It reminds me of the past, of course, but it also gives me hope, you know, of being stronger in the future.”

As the child approached the door, Bruce wrapped his arm around him again and said, “So, do I keep calling you my Clever Bird, or should I throw something more feline in there?”

“Bird is fine,” Dick said, knocking on Alfred’s door. 

The butler opened the door, happy at the smiles that greeted him on the other side.  “Gentlemen, is this a request to resume this afternoon’s activities?”

Dick nodded, a bit solemn for Alfred’s taste at the moment.  “We were going to go back for dinner.  It’s not the same without you.  A-Alfred?  I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise.”

“What promise is that, young sir?”

“I promised I wouldn’t wear you out.  It’s okay if you’re mad at me.”

Alfred smiled, “You only wore me out as much as you did yourself, Master Dick.  I can’t hold that against you.”

Dick looked no happier at the attempted cheering up.  He looked down at his shoes and said, “Oh, sorry Alfred.”

“Sorry for what, young sir?”

“Well, I was really tired, so that means you were, too.  I promised I wouldn’t do that.”

Bruce spoke up to break the tension, “Chum, we still have our reservations for dinner, if you want to try that place.”

_Oh, I forgot about that.  That place looked really expensive, but it would be cool to eat inside of a ride, even though it isn’t in the cool part of the ride.  Now, if the restaurant was in that town part, or by the pirate ship battle, then that would be worth the price.  I guess it would be okay, if the food is really good._   He gave Bruce a small smile and said, “That sounds good, dad.”

They reentered the park and made their way towards New Orleans Square.  Dick made sure to hold both of the adult’s hands, ensuring that he could only move as fast as they did.

Seated in the Blue Bayou, Dick forgot about prices as he watched the boats floating by and heard the occasional quiet scream work its way over from the first drop.  Thankfully, the menus left at the table by the waiter did not have prices written next to the items.  Dick ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich, thinking back to when he read the book and wondering if it and the sandwich had anything in common.  The waiter informed Dick with a smile that he had ordered the specialty of the house, and left to get their order.

After their meal, as Dick licked the remnants of his sandwich from his fingers, Bruce couldn’t help smiling at the smear of jam on his cheek.  Leaning over with his napkin to wipe the smiling face, Bruce asked, “Well, was the sandwich worth thirty dollars?”

Dick thought as Bruce scrubbed at his cheek, “No.  Definitely twenty, an argument could be made for twenty-five, but I wouldn’t go any higher than twenty-seven fifty.”

Smiling as he flicked the boy’s nose lightly, Bruce said, “Then it’s a good thing you aren’t picking up the check, isn’t it?”  Dick just giggled.

Leaving the restaurant, Dick looked at the bench where Bruce had counseled him several hours earlier.  Bruce nudged him lightly, seeing where he was looking.  “Hey, we don’t need that again, do we?”

Dick held out his hand, and Bruce instantly engulfed the boy’s fingers with his own.  Smiling up, he said, “No, just thinking how much you helped me today.  Let’s go ride something.”

They wandered a bit and ended up in front of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Looking at the rock face that made up the ride’s line, Bruce said, “Well, is it time to ride this one yet?”

Dick looked at the line and said, “I think so.  I don’t know, but something just told me that this one would be better at night.”

They boarded the mine train as the sky took on a darkening shade of purple.  Hidden floodlights lit up the manmade rock formations as they roared past the desert inspired landscape.  Dick laughed and raised his hands the entire way.  Alfred, on the other hand, found it difficult to contain his dinner. 

As they exited the ride, Alfred made for a nearby bench and sat down.  Bruce went to get the butler a bottle of water while Dick sat carefully on the bench, facing the older man.

“I’m sorry, Alfred.  I did it again.  First I broke my promise, now I’ve made you sick twice.  I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry.”

Alfred placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, but didn’t feel confident in opening his mouth just yet.  Bruce returned with the water and saw the looks on both of their faces.  Speaking for Alfred, Bruce said, “Chum, it’s not your fault.  Roller coasters are not for everyone, especially after the heavy meal we just had.  Remember, you looked about the same as Alfred does now when we were landing yesterday.  Just give him some time, and I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

Alfred nodded slowly, and, after taking a couple small sips of water, spoke quietly.  “This is not your fault, Master Dick.  I don’t want to hear about you feeling bad about this, any more than you wanted to make us feel bad about getting sick on the plane yesterday.  You two go and enjoy yourselves.  I assure you that I will be quite alright.”

Dick looked worried, “We’re not going to leave you, Alfred.  Bat… _We_ never leave a man behind.”

Bruce smiled, “That’s the Marines, son.”

Alfred sat up a little straighter, hiding his look of discomfort, “Be that as it may, I shall take this opportunity to return to the hotel and rest for a bit.” Alfred tried to get up, but quickly sat down again, “At least, I will in a few minutes.  You two are to go and have fun.  I don’t want to hear you back in your room until after the fireworks display, is that understood?”

Dick looked wryly at the older man, “Alfred, are you _ordering_ us to stay up late?”

“I most certainly am.  It is your vacation, I expect you to do things that you wouldn’t usually do at home…within reason, of course.”

“You sure, Alfred?” Bruce asked.  Receiving a nod, he placed a hand on Dick’s back and herded the child away from the bench. 

Dick glanced over his shoulder and waved, calling out, “Bye, Alfred, sorry!”

As they took the back path to Fantasyland again, Bruce nudged Dick, whose head was pointed at the ground.  “Come on, I saw this one earlier.  You should like it.”

Bruce led them to the Casey Jr. Circus Train and tucked himself and Dick into the car marked ‘Monkeys’.  As the ride got going, Bruce said, “Talk to me, Chum.”

Dick leaned into Bruce’s shoulder and said, “It doesn’t feel right, leaving him like that.  Are you _sure_ he’s going to be okay?”

“Pal, let me tell you a secret.  Alfred and I talked yesterday and agreed that he would be free to do his own thing on this vacation.  He was only planning on staying with us until lunch today.  He stuck around longer because he was having fun, and wanted to make sure that you were having fun, too.  Don’t feel bad, pal.  He wouldn’t want you to.  Like he said, amusement parks are for the younger set, like you.”

Dick thought about it and decided to think about it as Alfred had stayed longer because he liked them, not that he left early because Dick’s choice of ride made him sick.  Remembering that he was in Disneyland, for quite possibly the only time in his life, Dick decided to enjoy the rest of the day, no matter what.  At least, he did right up until he saw a familiar green hat.  Dick stopped dead in his tracks with a loud gasp as his hands covered his mouth.

“Dick?  What’s wrong?”

Instead of answering, Dick bolted to a nearby shop and hid himself just inside the doorway.  Bruce had followed on his boy’s heels, wondering what had set him off now.  He almost ran into the boy as he entered the brightly lit shop.

“Dick, what is it?”

Dick grabbed Bruce’s hand and pulled him down to whisper in his ear, not taking his eyes off of the hat.  “Jervis Tetch.”

Bruce started at the name, then followed where Dick was intently staring.  Over the crowd, he could make out the familiar green top hat with the distinctive ‘10/6’ tag in the brim.  “Mad Hatter?  When did _he_ get out of Blackgate, and what is he doing at Disneyland?”

As Bruce was eyeing the man, Dick blended into the night and stalked up closer to the villain.  Bruce was very proud that he didn’t even notice Dick slip away from him until he spotted the boy weaving through the crowd, growing ever closer to his target. 

As he watched and began to draw closer himself, he saw a cast member dressed in a large, white rabbit suit approaching the green hat and thought, ‘ _oh, no.  That’s not the Mad Hatter, at least, not_ our _Mad Hatter’._

Dick was able to sneak to within four feet of the criminal before he ran out of cover.  Deciding a frontal assault would be the quickest way to take down his adversary, he prepared to pounce.  Ready to launch himself from a front handspring to the strongest dropkick he could deliver from such a short range, Dick called out, “Got you, Hatter!”

His launch was stalled as Bruce, running through the crowd, grabbed the boy’s shoulders and held him in place.  Dick was about to fight out of Bruce’s grasp when the character turned in the direction of the call.

Bruce and Dick stilled and pasted the best smiles on their faces that they could as the cast member dressed like the Alice in Wonderland character said, “Got me?  I’d say he has you.  And a very Merry Unbirthday to you.”  He gave a short bow and walked away with the rabbit and a woman in a blue and white dress.

They stood for another minute before Dick said, “Bruce, that wasn’t Tetch.  Who was that?”

Smirking, Bruce said, “That was the Mad Hatter, a character from Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland.  You read it last summer, I’m surprised you don’t remember.”

Dick said, deadpan, “Alice in Wonderland?  So, you just stopped me from attacking a Disney employee in a costume?”

“Looks that way, kiddo.  Tell me, what were you going to do with him once you took him down?”

“Um…” Dick hadn’t thought that far ahead.  He saw what he thought was one of Gotham’s elite criminals, and Robin took over.  “Call the Commissioner, maybe?”

Bruce was shaking in his attempts to stop from laughing.  “Okay.  I’m sure he’ll send some officers out.  They’ll be here tomorrow morning.”  Bruce cracked up over the last two words.

“Hey,” Dick said, feeling embarrassed, “I saw a potential threat and investigated.  Going off the best information at hand, I pursued, approached my target, and was in a prime position for a takedown with the least amount of collateral damage possible.  So, my target turned out to be someone else.  It’s not the first time we’ve acted with incomplete information.”

Bruce grew stern, “You also acted without a mask, wearing a t-shirt with a picture of an elephant on it.  Not exactly striking fear into the hearts of men right now.”

Dick turned, “What’s wrong with my shirt?  You bought it for me at the circus last month, remember?”

“Yes, I did.  It looks good on you.  However, do you want the headline of the evening news to be ‘Cute Kid Attacks Disney Employee’?”

Dick looked down, the darkening night barely hiding his flushed cheeks, “I guess not.”

Bruce patted the boy’s shoulder and said, “Come on, there is a show starting in about fifteen minutes.  Let’s go watch it.”

Dick looked up and asked, “What kind of show?”

“I don’t know.  The guide said it’s called ‘Fantastic’, or something like that.”

Bruce led them back to the Rivers of America, where they were just in time for the start of the show.  Showing up late, they didn’t really have a good place to stand, and Dick was forced to try to peer between people’s legs until Bruce hoisted the boy up on his shoulders.  From this new height, the boy was able to see at least most of Mickey Mouse’s quest against evil, and the dancing and singing that went along with it.  Bruce was impressed with the technical innovations evident in the production, and wondered idly if there was a big market for these types of displays that Lucius could look into.  Getting Wayne Enterprises into a new line of business always made the CFO happy.

 “That was cool, Bruce.  I just wish we got here sooner, to have a better place to watch from.”

Bruce patted the knee of the boy still sitting on his shoulders, “I know we didn’t have the best angle, but was it still okay?”

“Oh, yeah.  Even if we missed some stuff on the other side of the stage…um, river, whatever…I don’t feel like we missed anything from the show.”

“Hey, the fireworks start in a half hour.  Let’s see if we can get better seats for those.”

Dick took a second before saying, “Okay, dad.  That sounds good.”

_He didn’t sound too happy about that._ “Did you want to do something else, pal?  We don’t have to sit around and wait for the fireworks, if you want to do something else.”

Dick let out a large yawn from above Bruce’s head.  “Oh, sorry.  Maybe Alfred had the right idea.”

Bruce found them a spot in front of the castle and sat down, leaning back on a low fence.  Dick climbed into his lap and leaned his head back into Bruce’s shoulder.  He mumbled drowsily, “The castle looks so pretty, all lit up like that.  Thanks for today, Bruce.  This was a great day.  I just have one question, though.”

Bruce wrapped his arms tightly around the boy and whispered in a small ear.  “What’s that, kiddo?”

“Well, two questions, actually.  Tomorrow’s my birthday, not today.  What could we possibly do to top today?  And, what are you planning for my next birthday?”

Bruce smiled to himself, “I’ve got a plan for tomorrow, but I’ll let that be a surprise.  As for next year, how about we get through this year first, huh?”

“Okay, dad,” Dick mumbled.  Comfortable and secure in Bruce’s grasp, Dick was asleep before the last word left his mouth.

Startled awake, what felt like just a minute later, Dick looked up and saw the first fireworks blossom over the castle.  Bruce felt the boy jar and said, “How’s that for a wake-up call?”

Dick watched, awed at the display.  The colors and patterns were almost as soothing to the boy as the man holding him, and he found himself yelling and cheering after almost every blast. 

The grand finale gave the boy just enough energy to stand and applaud the show.  As the light faded and the booms rolled out into the distance, Dick turned to Bruce with a genuine smile on his face.  Bruce couldn’t help but return the look.

The crowd dispersed to other areas of the park, leaving the end of Main Street to empty out.  Bruce looked at the boy, beginning to fade again, and asked, “What’s next, chum?  There is still almost two hours before the park closes.  Want to see if you can get on any more rides?”

Dick yawned mightily and looked at Bruce with a contented expression.  “I think we can call it a night, Bruce.  We did a lot today, and I’ll be surprised if I make it back to the room before falling asleep again.  Thank you for today, it was great.  I can’t wait to see what you have planned for tomorrow.”

“Okay, pal.  I’m glad you had fun today.  That’s the whole reason we’re here.  You ready?”

Dick grasped Bruce’s hand and said, “Now I am.”

They made their way to the tram stop, and Dick was true to his word.  He fell asleep, leaning against Bruce’s shoulder, as soon as they sat down in the tram.

 

_Friday…_

Dick awoke to a shaking, dipping bed.  His drowsy mind vaguely wondered if they were having an earthquake before his blankets were pulled back, and a pair of warm, strong arms pulled him tight into a warm figure.  Dick sighed contentedly and opened one eye.  The curtains were still dark, and Dick thought, _why are we waking up so early on a vacation?  This is three days in a row._

Dick closed his eye again and whispered, “Hi.”

Bruce whispered back in a matching tone, “Hi yourself.  I want you to know that today is a very special day for me.  Eleven years ago today, something very special happened.  Know what that was?”

Dick smiled and played along, “No, what happened?”

“Eleven years ago today, Wayne Enterprises stock split two for one after we bought a controlling interest in a home computer hardware manufacturer.”

“Bruuuuuuce!” the boy whined.

The man squeezed the boy tighter and whispered in a small ear, “And, somewhere in America, a traveling circus stopped to rejoice as a new bundle of joy was brought into the world.  Today, at 5:23am, right…well, two minutes ago, you made a family complete, and so many people happy.”

Dick sniffled as a tear rolled down his cheek.  He hadn’t expected Bruce to be so sentimental, but Bruce wasn’t done yet.  “Not only did you bring happiness and joy to everyone, you brought hope, and you found a way to do the impossible.  You learned to fly, and you gave the gift to others.  I know, because you made my spirit soar.  While your body may be small, you have a heart to rival the biggest creatures on Earth.  It’s not possible to not smile around you, and that’s a huge gift.  It’s a gift you give me every day, kiddo.  Believe it or not, I never smiled before you came into my life.  You have been able to brighten up an old, dark manor.  There was no laughter in that house since before my parents were killed.  And what’s more, you made Batman care enough to come home safely every night, just to see you waiting at home.”

Tears were flowing despite the huge smile on the child’s face.  “I want you to know that, while it’s your birthday, I feel like I’m the one who got the gift, because I have you.  Happy birthday, kiddo.  I know it’s still early, but is there anything special you wanted to do now?”

Dick raised a hand and gripped the arm that surrounded him, “Yes, go back to sleep.”

Bruce smiled and whispered, “I think we can do that.”  Bruce pulled the boy in even tighter, his body melting around the child’s small frame.  A soft kiss landed on the boy’s temple before they settled in for a couple more hours of sleep.

The next time Dick opened his eyes, morning sun was streaming in through the parted curtains.  Dick smiled as he found himself still wrapped tightly in Bruce’s arms.  The older man gave no indication of being awake, and Dick didn’t want to do anything to change his current situation.  If they did nothing else for his birthday, this morning cuddling would be enough for Dick.  Again, he gave a contented sigh.

Bruce, lying awake next to the boy for the past hour, felt the child sigh, and smiled.  He had found true peace in this room this morning, and was loath to change anything.  He leaned over and placed another kiss on the boy’s hair, thinking that, if they did nothing else today, this would be enough for him.  If he could freeze time in this moment, everything would be worth it.

Dick smiled at the second kiss and whispered, “Hi, again.”

“Hi yourself, again,” was responded.

“Do we have anywhere to be right now?” the boy asked.

Bruce lifted his arm to check his watch, “Not for about two hours chum, why?”

Dick smiled and said, “Good.  Let’s just stay like this for a while.”  He snuggled back into his dad and allowed the man to dig an arm under him to completely encase the child.

Bruce sighed, “How are you able to make me so happy, Dick Grayson?”

“I don’t know, it just…kinda…happened,” Dick said with a yawn.

“Well, keep it happening.”

“How do I do that, dad?” the child asked.

His voice thick with emotion, Bruce answered, “By being yourself, Dickie.  I only want you to ever be you.”  They sank back into a warm, comfortable silence.

When Bruce thought the boy had dropped back to sleep, Dick spoke up and asked, “What are we doing today, Bruce?”

Bruce began carding his fingers through Dick’s hair comfortingly and said, “Well, I thought we would do something different today, and go to Disneyland.”

Dick giggled and said, “That’s not different, we did that yesterday.”

“Ah, yes, but we didn’t do what we are going to do today.  Did you know that they offer guided tours of Disneyland?”

Dick turned to lay on his back, his head resting on Bruce’s bicep.  “They do?  What do they do on these tours?”

Bruce still lay on his side, his free hand resting on the boy’s chest, feeling his gentle heartbeat.  “The one we’re taking is supposed to give a bunch of history about Walt Disney and the attractions that were his favorites, or that he had a hand in creating.  Think that sounds interesting?”

The boy nodded, “Wow, Bruce.  I can’t imagine making a theme park.  Oh!  We should make Batman-land when we get home.”

Bruce chuckled, “And what would we put in this Batman-land?”

Dick thought, “I don’t know, maybe a Batmobile roller coaster?  We could do one of those immersive video motion rides following us while we swing through Gotham.  Oh! And a midway full of Batman inspired games.”

His smile growing, Bruce asked, “Like what, chum?”

“Um…Pin the tail on the Penguin?  Guessing games with Riddler riddles?  Two-Face Whack-a-mole, where you have to hit each target twice?  How about that one where you have to pop a balloon to win a prize, but instead of throwing darts, you throw batarangs?”

“And, let me guess, all the ticket takers and staff are dressed like Batman and Robin?”

Dick shook his head, “Actually, I was thinking of having them dressed like Alfred, but I guess that would give it away, huh?”

“That might be a bit too far, pal,” Bruce agreed, “But I like that you thought of including him.”

Dick interrupted again, sitting up, “And we can have a Justice League restaurant.  We can serve Bat-burgers, Flash fettuccini, Martian Manhunter Manicotti.  Oh, and an entire Aquaman menu of fish dishes.  And, if you want a bigger meal, you can order it ‘Superman-sized’!”

Bruce looked adoringly at the boy, “Chum, what did I do to deserve you?”

Looking at his watch again, Bruce sighed.  Dick looked sad and asked, “We have to get up now, don’t we?”

“If we want to get breakfast before the tour, we do.  You know Alfred will insist we eat before the tour.  We get lunch after, but that isn’t for several hours.”

Dick got up and stretched, a mewling yawn escaping the boy, who then padded over to the dresser and pulled out his clothes for the day.  Bruce went to the bathroom to shave as Dick dressed.

Bruce returned several minutes later to find Dick staring out of the window at the park again.  Bruce took two steps towards the boy, but stopped when Dick said, “You know, Bruce?  We didn’t go on that Monorail thingy yesterday.”

Several questions ran through Bruce’s head as he regarded the boy, still standing with his back to the man.  Bruce had been silent when he exited the bathroom, hoping to sneak up on the child and tickle him for a second.  Bruce finally settled on asking, “I guess we forgot about that one.  Hey, how did you know I was standing here?”

Not turning around, he said, “You trained me well; I heard the floor creaking.”

“The floor didn’t creak.”

“I smelled your aftershave.”

“I don’t wear aftershave unless I’m going to a society event.  I didn’t even bring any with me.”

Dick finally turned around, a big grin on his face and a chuckle in his voice, “I saw your reflection in the window, Bruce.”

_Of course he did._   Bruce swept across the room, picked up the boy, and tickled him for a few seconds, golden peals of laughter emanating from the bundle of joy, before Bruce pulled him into a tight hug.  He whispered in a small ear, “Clever Bird.  That’s my resourceful Robin.  I knew this was a good idea.”

“What?  The trip?” Dick asked.

“No, you,” Bruce said as he laid a peck on the boy’s nose.

A knock on the door disrupted the precious moment.  Bruce carried Dick to the door and opened it to allow Alfred into the room.  An involuntary smile spread across the butler’s face as he saw the looks of joy plastered on his charge’s features.

“Hiya, Alfred!  Are you coming on the tour with us?”

Entering the room, Alfred answered, “Indeed I am, and before I get distracted, let me just say happy birthday, Master Dick.  I’m sure it isn’t the first time you’ve heard that today.”

“Nope,” Dick said as he wriggled out of Bruce’s grasp to give Alfred a tight hug.

“Are you ready for a big birthday breakfast, Master Dick?” The butler asked.

“Um…I’m actually not that hungry right now.  I mean, I could eat, but I don’t think I could make it through a big meal right now.  Besides, I think I would like to do the big birthday meal at dinner.”

“Like your family used to do,” Alfred said, nodding, remembering a conversation from the previous year.

Dick looked up with a small smile and said, “You remembered.”

Alfred returned the smile and said, “Of course, Master Dick.  I always remember the important things.”

Bruce asked, “Where should we go then, Alfred?”  He was a bit perturbed that Alfred knew something about Dick that he didn’t.  They would have to have a long talk so Bruce could find out just how much he missed out on while he was at work.

Dick’s head snapped up from where he was putting on his shoes.  “Just because I’m not hungry, don’t let that stop you two from getting something bigger.  I’ll just order something smaller.”

Bruce smiled, “That’s what I figured you’d do, chum.  I was just asking if Alfred had any idea of where to go to eat.”

“Oh, okay.”  Dick got up and ran to the window and pointed to a sign just barely visible over the theme park.  “How about there?  It’s close by, so we don’t have to worry about being late to the tour, and we can probably walk and get some exercise.”

Bruce joined the boy at the window and looked in the direction he was pointing.  “Denny’s?  Never heard of it.  Must be a local chain.”

Dick shook his head, “No, they just don’t have any in Gotham City.  I’ve seen their commercials before, though.  People eat free on their birthday.  Mom…mom always said she would take me for my birthday…someday.  We…we were just never close to one when we were traveling on my birthday before.”

“Then we’re going to Denny’s,” Bruce said authoritatively, hoping to turn the day away from those kind of thoughts.  “But, how about we drive?  The restaurant is probably farther than it looks from here, plus we walked a lot yesterday and we’re going to walk a lot today.”

Alfred was less than happy when they were seated at the diner.  He couldn’t help but wish that the booth was cleaner.  He didn’t hold out much hope for the quality of the food.  Dick, still convincing himself that he wasn’t hungry, was looking at the side orders and wondering just how much he would have to order for Bruce and Alfred not to glare at him, when he looked at the rest of the menu.  As he browsed the omelets, his stomach rumbled, and when the waitress came to take their order, Dick changed his mind and ordered a California Omelet and sausage.

Bruce smiled at the order, asking, “What happened to not being hungry?”

Dick smiled back and said, “Well, my stomach told me something different when I started looking at the rest of the menu.”

“Good, you need to keep your strength up, kiddo.”

Soon, the meal arrived, along with a party hat for the birthday boy.  Dick looked at the hat warily as the waitresses sang Happy Birthday.  After they left, Bruce was grinning from ear to ear.

Dick looked at Bruce’s expression and said, “Well, now I know what to do for your birthday.”

“Not if you want to keep a roof over your head, you don’t,” Bruce grumbled to himself.  “You should save the hat, chum.  I know a big blue boy scout it would look perfect on.”

Dick looked at the pointy blue hat with the red fringe, then asked Bruce, “Why aren’t you nicer to Uncle Clark?”

“Um…eat up chum.  We have a tour to get to.”

Dick turned back to his food with a grimace, feeling he would never get an answer to the question he had asked so many times in the past.  His grimace faded into a look of pleasure as he demolished his omelet.  Sooner than Bruce thought would be healthy, Dick had downed the whole omelet, both sausages, half of the hash browns, and two slices of toast.

As Dick leaned back and rubbed his stomach, Bruce smiled at Alfred and said, “Good job, kiddo.  Where did you put all that?”

Dick groaned, “How about we go back to the hotel for a nap, instead?”

“Sorry, pal, but we have to go if we’re going to make the tour on time.”

Alfred had slipped the waitress a credit card when they ordered, figuring they would be short on time at this end of the meal.  Once leaving the restaurant, they traveled at Batman-like speeds to return the car to the hotel and make it to the park in time for the tour.  Moving at normal patrol speeds allowed the family to reach the front gates ten minutes early.

Walking into Disneyland for the second time, Dick was just as enthralled as the first.  Bruce had made some quiet inquiries the previous day, and led the boy to the City Hall building while Alfred checked them in for the tour.  In the City Hall, Bruce asked for two special buttons, resembling the ones the ticket taker had given them the day before.  Bruce pinned them both to Dick’s shirt before letting the child read what they said.  The first read ‘It’s My Birthday’, while the second read ‘Honorary Citizen of Disneyland.’  Dick gasped as he read the buttons, putting a smile on Bruce’s face.  Rejoining Alfred, they were informed that they were all checked in and just waiting on another group for the tour to begin.

At ten minutes past nine, the tour guide approached the family.  “Hello, my name is Julie, and I will be your tour guide today.  It seems like the other party isn’t here yet, and it is already past tour time, so I will leave it up to you.  We can either wait a few more minutes to see if they show up, or we can start now and get you going on your day at Disneyland.

Bruce was all for starting, but looked to Dick and said, “It’s your day, pal.  What do you say?”

Dick thought for a second before saying, “They already paid for the tour.  It seems like a waste to have them miss it.  We can wait a bit longer, I guess.”

Bruce looked back at Julie and said, “You heard him, I guess we wait.”

Another ten minutes later, just as Julie was preparing to start the tour, since she had her own schedule to keep, three people came running up to the tour booth.

“Sorry!  Sorry we’re late, we had car trouble.  Did we miss the tour?”

Julie extended a smile to the out of breath couple and their young son and said, “We were just about to get started.  The other party in your tour was kind enough to wait for you.”

As they were checked in for the tour, the man approached Bruce and said, “Thank you so much for waiting.  This tour is a birthday present for our son.”

Bruce was taken aback, “Really?  This is my kid’s birthday present, too.”

“Huh, how about that?  I’m Pete.  This is my wife, Myrna, and our son, Robbie.”

“Nice to meet you.  I’m Bruce, this is Alfred, and my boy, Dick.”

From behind the men, Robbie could be heard snickering when Bruce said Dick.  Dick didn’t seem to notice as he was talking with Julie. 

Robbie walked up and looked at the pins on Dick’s shirt, then turned to Julie and asked, “Hey, why does he get a pin?  It’s my birthday, too!”

Julie just smiled and said, “Is it?  Well, what a coincidence.  I just happen to have an extra here; let’s get that taken care of.”  She attached the pin to the boy’s shirt, then turned to address the group.  “Is everybody ready?  Then let’s go!  Please turn on your headphone receivers, so you can hear me talk, and everyone follow me.”

Dick tapped Bruce on the arm, “Bruce?”

Leaning over, the man asked, “What’s up, chum?”

“Why didn’t you introduce me as your son to Pete?”

_Wow, he heard that?_ “I didn’t think you heard that, pal.  I guess I wasn’t sure how you would take it.”

“Yeah, I heard, just like I heard when Robbie laughed at my name.  I would think it would just be easier to introduce me as your son.  We look enough alike that no one would question it, and…well…I mean, I call you dad for a reason: I want to be your son.  I promise, I won’t confuse you for my real dad, and I know that you don’t want to take his place; you’ve told me that enough times.  But…it’s okay, Bruce.  I want us to be a family.”

A warm smile crossed the man’s face, “I do, too…son.”  They hurried to catch up with the tour group.

Julie was saying, “This is the Main Street Firehouse.  If you look in the upstairs window, you will see a lit candle.  That is very special, because the room above the Firehouse is actually a small apartment that Walt Disney had put in so he could have a place to stay close by during the final construction of Disneyland.  After Walt’s death, the candle was placed as a memorial.  It is now an electric candle, instead of a real flame, but it is always lit to remember the founder of Disneyland.”

Robbie was pulling on his mother’s arm and said, “That’s cool.  Can we go up and see the apartment, mom?  Huh?  Can we?”

Myrna looked at Julie, who answered for her, “Well, Robbie, it’s a very small apartment, and it is closed to park guests.  Only certain cast members are allowed up there.  I’ve never even been up there.”

The boy pouted, “Awww, but I want to see it.  If we’re supposed to be ‘Walking in Walt’s Footsteps’, then why can’t we see where he lived?”

“I’m sorry, Robbie, we just can’t.  Let’s head on down Main Street to the Cinema, and I will show you one of three Indian Chiefs in the park.  We will see them all today, so don’t worry about missing any of them.”

Running behind schedule as they were, Julie pointed out the cigar store Indian in passing before hustling the group off down Main Street to the first real stop on the tour, The Enchanted Tiki Room.  Dick was less than thrilled that this was a stop on the tour, but followed the group into the room anyway.  Once inside, a ride operator brought out one of the birds and opened it up so the group could see the audio animatronics that operated the creature.  The man carrying the bird walked down the line of tourists to show everyone, but everyone ended up having to look around Robbie’s head, as he followed the man to keep looking at the bird.  When they were told to take seats for the show, Bruce was already having to employ calming techniques to continue dealing with the younger child.

Julie approached the group just before the show started and asked, “Would either of you youngsters like to start the show?

Robbie jumped up and ran forward, shouting, “Oh, oh, me, me!”  He was jumping in front of Julie with his hand raised.

Dick leaned back in his seat and told Julie, “He can have it, I’m good with watching.”

As Julie and Robbie walked off, Alfred leaned over to Myrna and said, “Quite…spirited, isn’t he?  May I ask, how old is he?”

Myrna answered with a smile, “He just turned nine on Tuesday.  How about your little one?”

With a fond look over at Dick, Alfred replied, “He is eleven today, Ma’am.”

Her smile grew as she said, “He’s so well-mannered.  I must know your secret.”

Before Alfred could say anything else, the show began, cutting off the need for a reply.

One hour and several stops later, there was a pause for a bathroom break.  Tension was high in the group, as Robbie had to be everywhere and the first to do anything on the tour.  Bruce had noticed that, every time the younger boy had addressed Dick, he did so with either a snicker at his name or a borderline mean tone of voice.  Bruce was proud of the way Dick was ignoring the child, but knew that Dick’s patience would only last so long.

When they were finished and waiting for the rest of the tour group to reassemble, Dick looked at Alfred and Bruce and said, “Alfred, Bruce, I’m sorry.”

Bruce looked confused, “Sorry for what, kiddo?”

“That I told Julie we should wait for the rest of the group, instead of just starting the tour.”

Bruce and Alfred laughed, knowing that Dick was only partly serious, but it was an indication that things were not going well.  “You’re not enjoying this, are you kiddo?” Bruce asked sadly.

Dick sighed as he sat down in Bruce’s lap, “It’s very interesting, but no, I can’t honestly say I’m enjoying this.  Maybe we should have done this yesterday, and had the free day today?”

“I’m sorry, kiddo…”

Dick interrupted Bruce, “It’s not your fault.  He just…” Dick broke off and snuggled a bit tighter into Bruce.

“What?”  Bruce was a bit concerned now.

“He just reminds me of some of the bullies at school, that’s all.”

“Master Dick, is that how you have been able to put up with his shenanigans?” Alfred asked softly.

“Shenanigans?  That’s a funny word, Alfred.  He’s not as mean as the bullies at school, and I’ve heard everything he’s saying before, so I guess it doesn’t bother me as much.”

Bruce grumbled, “Well, it bothers me.  I don’t know which one to smack; the kid or the parents?”

As Julie called the group back together to continue on, the Bat-Family was a little too happy to observe that Robbie’s parents looked just as exasperated as they felt. 

The tour continued, and Bruce did everything he could to keep Dick between himself and Alfred.  The butler caught on to what was happening almost immediately and, if he had been paying closer attention, Dick would have, too.  As it was, it was only another few minutes before Dick caught on, and he gladly stayed with his elders.  He found he enjoyed the tour far more with a buffer.

After another hour, there was another restroom break.  Bruce could have sworn that he heard Julie muttering under her breath that Robbie was driving her up the wall.  Dick walked over to get a drink from a drinking fountain.  When he was just a step away, Robbie ran and shoved in front of Dick to drink first, saying, “Hurry up, _Dick_ , we’re thirsty, too.”

Dick closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath as he waited for the child to finish.  When Robbie did, and began walking away with a smirk on his face, Dick spoke up quietly, but with a tone that could not be ignored.  “Hey.”

Robbie turned around, took a step closer to Dick and said, “What, _Dick_?”

“You can call me Richard from now on.”  Dick’s tone was pure ice.

Robbie looked confused, “Huh?  But, you’re _Dick, Dick_.  Why should I call you Richard?”

“Because that is my name.  Richard is my name, but I go by Dick.  When everyone else says Dick, they say it like a name.  You say it like a curse, and I don’t like that, so you don’t get to call me that anymore.”

“Yeah?  Well maybe I…”  Robbie stopped as the boy’s eyes locked on one another, catching the attention of five adults.  Bruce and Pete both looked at each other, then back at the boys, each wondering if they were going to have to break up a fight.

For the next fourteen seconds, Disneyland Park was deathly silent.  Just as Bruce and Pete were slowly rising to head off violence, Robbie began to shrink back from Dick.  He took a couple small steps back as he said, “Um…yeah…okay, Di- _Richard_!  S-sorry.”  Robbie turned and scampered back to his parents, breaking the stalemate.

Walking back to Bruce and Alfred, Dick became acutely aware that six sets of eyes were watching his every move.  Simultaneously, two sets of parents huddled around their sons for an update.

Bruce asked, “Dick, what just happened?”

“Oh, that.  I told him he couldn’t call me Dick anymore if he was going to keep saying it the way he was.”

Bruce gave a hint of a grin as he said quietly, “Did I catch a hint of a _glare_ in that standoff?”

Dick paled, suddenly realizing that Robbie had looked scared as he ran off.  “Oh no!  I’m sorry, Bruce.  I shouldn’t have done that, especially not in public and out of uniform.  I didn’t even realize I was doing it, he just made me really mad.  I didn’t want to hit him or anything, just get my point across that he shouldn’t be treating others the way he has been treating me.”

Myrna walked over after talking with Robbie and Pete.  “Gentlemen, what’s…?”

Dick shot to his feet and stood in front of the woman.  “I’m sorry, ma’am.  I didn’t mean to scare him, honest.  I just wanted him to stop treating me bad, that’s all.  Really, I didn’t mean it.  I’m sorry.”

She hadn’t expected such a response from the boy who had just intimidated her son.  “What was this look he told me about?  He said he thought you were going to tear his head off.”

Bruce looked disappointed on the outside, while inside he was praising Dick for giving the brat what he deserved.  “I’m afraid it is a family secret.  It’s something I’ve been teaching him to help deal with the bullies at his school.  I’m afraid that your son has been treating my son in much the same way as the school bully does.”

Myrna looked saddened, “Oh, Dick.  I’m sorry you get bullied at school, too.  Robbie has for a couple years, too, and I’m afraid it has caused him to start acting the way he does now.  Pete and I have tried to find a way to get him to stop, but that look is the first thing that seems to have gotten through to him.”

Dick spoke up again, pleading, “I’m sorry.  I didn’t even realize I was doing it until Bruce pointed it out to me.”

“Dick, I would like to apologize on behalf of my son.  He has not been treating you right today.  Thank you for setting him straight, without decking him.  I don’t know why, but when I look at you, I can’t help but think that you could have hurt him pretty good.”  Myrna walked away to rejoin her family.

Bruce nudged Dick and said, “Pretty good?  Pal, you could have ripped him apart without even trying.”

Sighing and letting his chin drop to his chest, Dick said, just loud enough for Bruce to hear, “I don’t think I’m proud of that fact right now.  I wasn’t going to hit him, but if he hit me first, I don’t think I would have been able to stop myself from putting him in the hospital, and that kinda scares me, Bruce.  _You know_ , as far away as you and Pete were, you couldn’t have gotten to me in time to stop me.”

Alfred, heart wrenching in his chest at Dick’s tone of voice, said, “But you didn’t, Master Dick.  You found a better way to get your point across, and you have shown great patience today.  I, for one, am quite proud of you, young sir.”

“Thanks, Alfred,” Dick said softly with a sniff.

Julie, who had watched everything from the sidelines, had spoken with Pete and Myrna, and now approached Bruce and Alfred.  “Is everything going to be alright here?”

Bruce looked at Dick and said, “I think so, Julie.  Dick won’t cause any trouble here.”

She smiled as she said, “I know, I saw the whole thing.  Good job, Dick.  Someone had to put Robbie in his place.  You could have a great future as a crisis counselor.  Are we ready to continue?”

Bruce nodded and said, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

As they stood, Dick grabbed Bruce’s hand and pulled a few times to get Bruce to lean down so Dick could whisper in his ear.  “Hey, you know what you said to Myrna, right?”

Bruce looked thoughtful as he said, “No, chum.  What did I say?”

Dick gave his first real smile since the tour started.  “You said I was your son.”

Returning the smile, Bruce said, “Huh, I guess I did.  Well, too late to take it back now.  I guess I’ll just have to keep you, then, _son_.”  They returned to the group, Dick refusing to let go of Bruce’s hand, not that Bruce wanted him to let go.

The rest of the tour passed without incident.  Both boys went out of their way to avoid one another, and Robbie was suitably subdued for the remainder of the morning.  The tour wound up back at the Tour Stand at the front of the park, and they sat for the provided box lunch.  It was nothing fancy, just a sandwich, fruit, and a bag of chips, but Dick enjoyed it as another occasion where he, Bruce, and Alfred could all sit at the same table and enjoy a meal.

As they finished their light meal, Robbie approached the table, clearly nervous.  “Um…Mr. Richard?  I…I wanted to say I’m s-sorry, about earlier.  I shouldn’t have been mean to you, it was wrong of me.  I’m sorry.”

Dick regarded Robbie.  “It _was_ wrong, what you did, but I accept your apology.  I want you to remember two things that have helped me out.  First, always treat others how you want to be treated, and you shouldn’t have problems with people.  Second, if the first rule doesn’t work, then remember that look I gave you.  Practice it, use it.  You just might find that your bullies leave you alone once you get the look down.  It may not work, but if you can get the bullies to stop now, then you don’t have to always push people away to keep from getting hurt.”

Robbie was stunned.  He thought Dick would glare at him again, not try to be nice.  “Thanks.  I’ll try that.”

Pete and Myrna approached the table to collect Robbie.  “You guys enjoy the rest of your day.  Happy birthday, Dick.”

 “Thank you, ma’am.  Happy birthday to you, Robbie.”

Walking away, Robbie waved, a smile creeping onto his face.  As they left the tour stand, they could just make out Robbie telling his mother, “He was really nice, mom.”

Julie approached their table.  “Dick, happy birthday.  I’ve got to say, you have to be the most amazing eleven year old I have ever met.  I don’t know if you live out here, but come back when you’re seventeen and apply for a job.  Disneyland would be crazy if they didn’t hire you.”

As they left the tour stand, Dick stopped just outside, not sure if he should turn left to go to the rest of the park, or right, to leave it.  “What are we doing now, Bruce?”

Placing a hand on Dick’s shoulder, Bruce steered him back towards the park and said, “Well, I seem to remember several rides we missed out on yesterday.  All of Tomorrowland, in fact.  Why don’t we try that for a while?”  Dick smiled, nodded, and allowed Bruce to lead him on.

Deciding to just work their way around the land, the family started at the first attraction, Star Tours.  Bruce had just taken Dick to see the Star Wars movies during the special edition release the previous month, and the boy had been entranced by the saga.  It was actually the first time that Bruce had seen Return of the Jedi.  His father had taken him to see the first two films during their original release, but Bruce couldn’t force Alfred to take him to see the third entry, as it reminded him too much of his father. 

Exiting the attraction into the Star Wars themed gift shop, Dick had an ear to ear grin.  Walking into the afternoon sun, Dick had to ask, “Bruce, does Disney own Star Wars?”

“What, pal?  No, George Lucas owns it.  He created it and still has control over his property.”

Dick nodded, “Oh.  Do you think those rumors are true?  I mean, that they’re making more Star Wars movies?”

“Yeah, kiddo.  They’re already in the process of shooting it.”  Bruce had read an article about the casting process recently.  He thought he would look when they got home and see if he still had it for Dick to read.

“Then, why is there a Star Wars ride here if Disney doesn’t own it?  Do you think George Lucas would ever sell Star Wars?”

Bruce laughed, “Are you kidding?  Star Wars is a cash cow.  Lucas would have to be crazy to sell it.”

Dick looked up, “Well, you could…you know…make an offer?”

“I know it’s your birthday, and we’ve told you that I would consider getting you anything you want, but I don’t think Star Wars is for sale.  You know, when people ask for Star Wars, they are usually asking for copies of the films on video, or an action figure.  Only you would ask for controlling interest in a major film franchise.”

Dick grinned, “I only asked because I know you aren’t going to buy it.  Aren’t kids supposed to make unreasonable demands of their parents?”

Alfred stated, “Yes, they are.  However, Master Bruce is correct.  You seem to have a good head for asking for important things.”

Dick blushed, “It was just a joke.  I don’t _actually_ want Star Wars, at least, not _all_ of it.  We already have the videos, I’m good with that.”

They approached the line for Space Mountain, and Dick hesitated.  “Um…Alfred?”

“Yes, young master?”

Dick looked nervous, like he didn’t really want to say what was on his mind.  “Well, I overheard some people talking about this one.  It…It’s a roller coaster.  A fast one.  I…”

Bruce placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder, “What is it, Dick?”

“I don’t want you getting sick again, Alfred.  I felt really bad yesterday.  You don’t have to go on this one if it’s going to make you sick.”

Alfred gave a genuine smile, “Thank you, young sir.  You are exceedingly generous.  I believe I will take you up on your offer.  You two should go, the line looks quite long.” 

Bruce sighed as he was dragged into the line.  He didn’t mind going on the rides with Dick; he was just as entertained by them as the boy was.  What he minded was the long, slowly moving lines.  He chalked it up as a left over from his time as Batman.  He never felt comfortable standing still in the open for long spans of time.  Being surrounded by strangers didn’t help anything, either.

Fifty-three minutes later, as they left the dark ride behind, Dick was bouncing at Bruce’s side.  “That was fun, dad.  What’s in that building there?”  Dick was pointing to a building in front of the exit to Space Mountain.

“I don’t know, there are no signs out front.”  Bruce pulled out the map and looked at their current location.  “Okay, um…that is…nothing.”

Dick looked surprised, “Nothing?  But, that’s a huge building.”

Bruce pointed it out on the map, “Sorry, pal.  According to this, that is an empty building.  It must have been something before that either closed or is being turned into something else.”

Dick stared at the map, and pointed near the building in question, “Well, how about that, then?  Do you think they would let me drive those cars?”

Bruce smiled and said, “I think we can work that out.”

They made their way to the Autopia and, seeing the size of the cars, Bruce said with a wry grin, “How about you drive?  I don’t think I can fit under the steering wheel.”

Dick slid into the driver’s seat with a huge smile as Bruce folded himself in next to the child.  As they drove off, Dick did his best to keep the car centered on the concrete track.  Bruce just enjoyed the care that Dick took to be a safe driver. 

He threw an arm around Dick’s shoulders and asked, “Well, what do you think?”

Dick smiled over at Bruce and said, “I think I’m ready for the Batmobile now.”  That comment kept Bruce laughing until they got back to the loading area.

“Hey, Bruce.  Are those submarines?  Can we do that next?  Oh, wait.  Let’s find Alfred first.”

They didn’t have to look far, because Alfred met them at the exit to the Autopia, conveniently located at the start of the line to the Submarine Voyage.  The line was nearly non-existent, and they were shuffled right onto a yellow submarine and into tight, narrow seats. 

Dick was only slightly nervous at being under water, but got over it quickly as he saw the underwater sights.  Dick leaned over to Bruce and asked quietly, “Do we have a…you know…a Bat-sub?”  The last word was hissed out almost inaudibly.

Bruce mumbled back, “Not a lot of crime takes place underwater in Gotham.  I don’t really have a reason to attack Aquaman right now.”

“…But?” Dick knew Bruce was leaving something out.

Bruce grinned at the boy, “But, the Bat-boat has the ability to transform into a submarine.  It doesn’t have the depth capabilities of a military submarine, but it is far more maneuverable.”

“I knew it.  Can we take it out sometime?”

“You want to take a pleasure cruise through the rivers of Gotham with Batman?”

Dick shrugged, “Eh, he’s not so bad.  It could be fun.”

“I’ll take it up with him.  I’m sure there will be a reason to take it out eventually.”

That was enough for the child as they disembarked from the dark submarine into the late afternoon sun.  Looking up at a horn, Dick saw the Monorail pulling into the station.  He looked up at Bruce with a pleading gaze, but it was unnecessary, as both Bruce and Alfred were already heading for the elevated platform.  Dick had to jog to catch up as they entered the front car of the single-tracked train.

He sat as far forward in the car as he could, almost pressing himself against the glass as the driver got in and closed the door.

“Hi, folks, how is your day so far?”

Dick turned to the driver and shot him a smile, “Great!  I’m… _we’re_ having so much fun.”

The driver saw the pins on the boy’s shirt when he turned back and grinned, “Well, I’m glad to hear that, and may I also say Happy Birthday, young man.  We’ll be pulling out of the station in just a second, hang on.”

“Thanks!” Dick said, turning back to the windows.

The train left the station, and the driver called out to Dick again, “Hey, birthday boy, could you do me a favor?  Come here for a second.”  Dick approached warily, and looked where the man was pointing at a button on his control panel.  “Do me a favor.  Tap that button twice, then hold it down for a second, okay?”

Dick looked at Bruce, who smiled at the look on the boy’s face and nodded.  Dick did as he was told and pressed the button, smiling as he activated the train horn.  The driver spoke again, “Technically, I’m not supposed to let you do that, but I figure…it’s your birthday, why not have a little fun?”

“Thanks, um…Steven.” Dick said, looking at the man’s nametag.  He returned to sit next to Bruce.

Glancing over to Alfred, who had been awfully quiet since meeting up with them after the Autopia, Dick asked, “Are you alright, Alfred?  You’re having fun, right?”

“Of course, Master Dick.  Why do you ask?”

Dick shrugged, “I don’t know, you’re just really quiet over there.”

“I am just enjoying the ride, young sir.  I can see why you wanted to ride this thing, it is quite enjoyable.”

Dick smiled again, “Oh, good.  I’m glad you’re having fun, too.  I was worried after yesterday…and this morning.  Hey, what’s that?”

Dick was pointing to a Disneyland bag that the butler was carrying.  Dick had seen it appear after they reunited at the Submarines, but hadn’t had a good time to ask about it. 

“Oh, this.  Well, Master Dick, this is for you.”  Alfred handed over the bag to the stunned youth.

A look of wonder in his eyes, Dick said in awe, “Alfred!  You didn’t have to get me anything.  Thank you.”  Dick slipped from his seat and gave the butler a warm hug.

“Perhaps you had better hold off thanking me until you look in the bag.  You see, you might not like it.”

Dick looked up into the butler’s eyes.  “What do you mean?  Why wouldn’t I like it?  It came from you, and you’re great at picking out things.  You went out of your way to do something nice for me, and that means more than whatever is in the bag, but I’m sure whatever it is, is awesome.”

Bruce was smiling at the boy’s reaction, curious what was in the bag.  “Why don’t you open it, chum?”

“Huh?  Oh, yeah.”  Dick opened the bag and looked inside.  He looked back at Alfred with a pleased smile, then back at the bag, before reaching in and pulling out a stuffed Ewok.  A giggle erupted from his throat as he gave the butler another hug.  “I was right, that _is_ awesome.  Thank you, Alfred.”

“Well, you were interested in a piece of Star Wars, and that just seemed more your style.”  Alfred rejoiced at the happy look on the boy’s face.  After two days of less than stellar adventures resulting in too many tears, Alfred had hoped to put a smile back on Dick’s face.  This little token seemed like just the right thing to accomplish his goal, and now he had been proven right.

Dick handed the stuffed animal to Bruce, who was interested in the creature.  He looked at the face and hood, and smiled as he handed it back to Dick.  Dick took it back and hugged it like he was turning six instead of eleven.  Unseen, above the child’s head, Bruce sent a look of heartfelt gratitude to Alfred.  Alfred caught the look, closed his eyes, and slightly bowed his head in thanks.

Steven spoke up, “We’re pulling into the hotel station now.  I’m afraid I have to ask you to disembark.  We are only offering one-way service at this time.  You can get back in line to come back to the park at any time, just be sure to get your hand stamped if you are going to leave the platform.  Thanks for riding the Disneyland Monorail.”

The family walked into the hotel, hand stamps firmly in place.  Today’s stamp read ‘Daisy’, slightly disappointing Dick, who had secretly been hoping to be stamped with ‘Simba’ again.  He still liked Bruce’s explanation, and was looking forward to living up to it.

Alfred looked around and said, “I know it is a bit early, but would anyone be interested in having an early dinner?”

Bruce looked at his watch and did the math for the time difference.  “It’s five forty-five.  By the time we find a place and actually get to eat, it won’t be too early for dinner.  How about it, kiddo?  Ready to try the big birthday dinner you talked about this morning?”

Dick shrugged, “Sure.  Where are we going to eat?”

Bruce placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder and said, “It’s your day, chum.  Where do you want to go?”

“Um…I saw there was an Italian restaurant in the hotel.  I’m kinda feeling like Italian sounds good right now.”

“Any objections, Alfred?”  The butler shook his head.  “Okay, Italian it is, let’s go.  Say, where exactly is this Italian restaurant?  I don’t remember seeing one earlier.”

They found the eatery, and were able to get a table in the crowded restaurant.  Service was a little slower than almost everywhere else they had eaten during their trip so far, but they attributed that to the beginning of the dinner hour and the large crowd in the place.  It didn’t really matter to the family, they were able to have a relaxed conversation and enjoy themselves.

As the meal wound down and they waited for the waiter to bring the slices of chocolate cake that Dick thought sounded good for his birthday dessert, Bruce turned to the boy and asked, “Are you having a good birthday, Dick?  I know it didn’t start out well, but has it gotten better?”  Bruce was desperate to know if his plan for the boy’s special day was being as well received as he had hoped when he started planning the trip months ago.

Dick could tell that Bruce wanted to know more than a simple affirmation, so he gave it some serious thought before responding.  He answered in a serious tone.  “You’re right, it didn’t start out too good today.  The tour was fun, but it could have been a lot better.  That’s not your fault.  You couldn’t have predicted who the other family was going to be.  And, to be honest, I think the tour would have been great with another family.  It could have been great with that family, if they just had been able to handle Robbie before I had to.  The day got much better after that.  So…yeah, I’m having a good birthday, but not because I’m here.”  Bruce’s face began to fall at the answer, so Dick quickly continued, placing a hand on the one Bruce had set on the table.  “I’m having a good birthday because I’m here with _you_.  You and Alfred, the only two living people in the world that I want to be with right now.  Don’t get me wrong, Disneyland is great, but as long as I get to be with you two, it doesn’t matter what we did today.  I would have been happy just lying on the couch in your study reading while you worked from home today if it meant I got to spend my whole birthday with you.  Being at Disneyland, that’s just a bonus, and a great bonus at that.”

Bruce leaned over and pulled his son into a tight hug, a stray tear leaking down his cheek.  Two soccer moms, the same ones from the other day, sitting on opposite sides of the restaurant, watched the scene play out and felt their hearts melting.  Bruce whispered in Dick’s ear, “Thanks, son.  I’m glad we could do this for you.  You deserve to be happy on your birthday.  You deserve to be happy every day, but today especially.”

The waiter had held off bringing the dessert until Bruce was able to separate from Dick, not wanting to interrupt what looked like a special moment between father and son.  Doing so earned him an extra ten percent added on to the already generous tip, and a knowing word of thanks from both the butler and the billionaire.

They wandered the hotel for a bit, letting their food settle as they watched the sun set and the lights turn on around the courtyard.  Bruce squeezed Dick’s shoulder and asked, “What’s next on your day, kiddo?”

Dick looked at the stamp on his left hand, “Um…there are a few rides in Fantasyland that we didn’t get to do.  I can’t think they would have long lines this late.  Alfred, would you join us?  I promise, there are no roller coasters in the rides I have planned.  _Please?_ ”

The butler smiled and squeezed Dick’s other shoulder.  “I wouldn’t miss it, Master Dick.”

Holding their child between them, the family made for the Monorail stop to return to Disneyland to close out their special day.

 

_Saturday…_

Bruce awoke, not to a cuddle, or a violent shaking announcing an ungodly hour, but to gentle tapping on his shoulder and a light cough.  It was the high pitch of the cough that woke the billionaire.  It was a dry cough, but still, when your child coughs, it gets your attention.

“Dickie?  Chum?  What’s wrong?”

An exhausted voice responded, “I don’t feel good, Bruce.”

Bruce pulled the boy onto the bed as he sat up, placed the boy in his lap, and ran a hand across his forehead, hoping it was a fair approximation of Alfred’s ministrations. 

“You’re nice and cool, kiddo; no fever.  Does anything hurt?”

“My stomach feels weird,” the child almost whined.

Concerned, Bruce asked, “Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?”

“Nu-uh.  It’s just all…rumbly.”  As if to emphasize his point, his stomach growled ominously, giving Bruce a glimmer of hope that this was just a bout of indigestion.

Bruce held the child, one hand massaging his scalp while the other probed his belly.  When a push to the side, just under the rib cage, elicited another rumble, Bruce gave a relieved smile.

“Chum, I want to give you something.  Then, I want you to do something for me.”

The boy gave a small burp, then asked, “What is it, Bruce?”

Bruce led Dick into the bathroom and rummaged through his toiletry bag.  Finding what he was looking for, the man pulled a roll of Tums from the bag and handed one to the boy.

“Chew on that for a bit, then swallow it.”

Dick put the tablet in his mouth warily.  First his eyes went wide in a look of joy, then he grimaced as he broke down the calcium tablet.

Chuckling, Bruce asked, “What was that look for?”

Dick stuck out his tongue, now vaguely white-colored, “Tastes like cherry-flavored chalk.  Okay, what did you want me to do next?”

Pointing to the toilet, Bruce said, “I want you to sit there and get rid of whatever is bothering your stomach.”

Dick walked over to the toilet and looked at it, “I…You want me to make myself throw up?”  _Bruce hates it when I’m sick, why would he want me to force myself to be sick?_

Bruce shook his head, “Of course not, just…let nature take its course.”

Dick whipped around, “Bruce!  Did you give me a laxative?”

Laughing again, Bruce said, “No, kiddo.  That was just something to help settle your stomach.  I think you can take care of the rest on your own.  Don’t come out until you feel better.”  With that, Bruce swept out of the bathroom and closed the door.

Five minutes later, as he had predicted, Bruce had to use the bathroom.  He walked over and tapped on the door.  “How’s it going in there?”

“Oh!  You startled me.  I guess it’s… _Hrrnnn_.  Whew, got a little light-headed on that one.  Okay in here, starting to feel better.”

Bruce smiled, “Don’t hurt yourself in there, okay?  I’m going next door for a minute.”

Bruce put on the hotel-issue, terrycloth robe and walked to Alfred’s door.  Alfred opened on the second tap, similarly attired.

“Good morning, Master Bruce.  I was wondering if I would have to wake you for today’s adventures.  Please, come in.”  Bruce entered the room as Alfred closed the door.  “Where is Master Dick?  Still sleeping, I suppose?”

When Bruce didn’t answer right away, Alfred continued, “He’s okay, isn’t he?”

Smiling, Bruce said, “Well, he had a little…gastronomic distress this morning, which is actually why I’m here.  May I borrow your bathroom for a minute?”

“Of course, Master Bruce, but I must insist you tell me everything when you’re done.”

Running for the door, Bruce said, “Oh thank God.  I mean, yes, as soon as I get out.”

Several minutes later, and making sure to make a show of washing his hands, knowing Alfred would be listening for the sink, Bruce re-entered the room and approached the small dining table where the butler sat, waiting.  Bruce stopped a couple steps from the table, getting the old familiar pang of unease he got when he was in the butler’s personal space.

Seeing the old look, Alfred smiled as he pointed to a chair and said, “Please, sit down and tell me what’s going on.”

Bruce sat across from his oldest friend and started in.  “Dick woke me up a little bit ago; said he didn’t feel good.  He coughed, but I don’t think it was anything more than a way to wake me up.  He said his stomach was not feeling too good.  I felt his forehead; he was nice and cool.  I moved on to probe his abdomen.  He didn’t seem to be in pain, and it was growling a bit when I pushed on it.  I took him to the bathroom, gave him some Tums, sat him on the toilet, and told him not to come out until he felt better.  When I knocked on the door to tell him I was coming over here, he sounded like it was working.”

The butler sighed, “Oh, good.  I would hate for him to be sick, today of all days.  He _has_ been eating different foods the last few days, this really shouldn’t have been unexpected.  Perhaps we can get a good salad for lunch today, to help things along.”

“Maybe he needs more water today, too,” Bruce added in.

Before Alfred could make his next suggestion, there was a small tapping on the door.  Alfred allowed admission for the child in question.

“Good morning, Alfred.  I was wondering if you’ve seen…Wow!  Your room is cool!”

The butler smiled as Dick entered, looking around the different space and spotting Bruce, “I’m glad you approve, young sir.  Are you feeling better?”

“Huh?  Oh, yeah, thanks.  Hi, Bruce.  There you are.  I was looking for you.”

“I told you I would be here, chum”

“Yeah?  Oh, yeah, you did, didn’t you.  I guess I had other things on my mind at the time.”

“So, the question stands: Are you feeling better?”

Glancing at Alfred, Dick whispered to Bruce, “Well, I went in and…did what you told me to do and…”

Bruce interrupted, “Why are you whispering?  I already told Alfred what’s going on.”

Dick stood back, stunned, “Well _that’s_ a bit embarrassing, Bruce.”

Grinning, Bruce ruffled the boy’s dark hair, “He needs to know what’s going on.  How are we going to make sure you’re happy and healthy if we aren’t all on the same page?”

Dick thought out loud, “Yeah…well, okay…but, still…”

“Continue, Dickie.”

“Well, I did what you told me to do, but I think it worked too well.”

Bruce looked puzzled, “Too well?”

“Yeah,” the boy replied, smiling, “’cause now I’m really hungry!”  Dick grinned broadly as he was able to elicit laughter from both Bruce and Alfred.

Bruce stood and put a guiding hand on Dick’s back, “Come on, chum.  Let’s go get dressed so we can get some breakfast.”

As they entered the hall, Bruce asked, “Are you sure you’re feeling better?”

Dick gave a mock heavy sigh and said, “Yes, Father.”

Bruce stopped in the hall, “Father?  I’m not sure I like that one.  That doesn’t sound like you.  Why don’t we just stick with Bruce, or…”

Dick glanced up at Bruce, piercing blue shaded by dark lashes, “…Or daddy?”

Bruce’s heart leapt in his chest as joy clenched his very soul.  “Uh…yeah…yeah…I think we can work with that one, too.”  Dazed, Bruce lightly pushed Dick into the hotel room ahead of him, so Dick wouldn’t see the tears of joy that threatened to march their way down his cheeks.

Unseen, standing in his own doorway, Alfred dabbed at his own moist eyes.  _I knew you had it in you, sir,_ the butler thought.

Later, after a light, late breakfast at the hotel, all three men walked outside, the summer sun hanging high in the late morning sky.

“I guess we slept in a bit today, huh Bruce.”

Bruce patted the boy’s shoulder, “Well, it was all part of the plan for today.”

Looking towards his guardian as he turned towards the tram stop, he saw Bruce turn in the opposite direction, towards the valet stand.

“What’s going on, Bruce?”

The man smiled at his charge, “I told you there would be more surprises.  Well, today is the big one.  It may even be bigger than Disneyland.”

The boy’s eyes grew large, “ _Bigger_ than Disneyland?  Are we flying to Disney World, or something?”

The man chuckled as he ran a hand along Dick’s shoulders, “No, not this time, but I’m sure you will be just as enthusiastic when we get there.”  _I hope.  Please like this, chum.  It’ll ruin everything if you don’t like this surprise._

As the valet pulled the car up, Bruce put Dick in the back of the car and got behind the wheel.  Dick giggled as Bruce pulled away from the front of the hotel.

With a sigh, Bruce asked, “What now?”

Dick shook his head, “Nothing…just…Alfred’s going to expect you to drive yourself more often now when we get home.”

Acting offended, Bruce said, “I happen to like driving, Dick.  It’s just…part of Alfred’s job description.”

Alfred, sitting in the back, next to Dick again, said, “We shall see how much you still like driving after sitting in California traffic.”  Bruce couldn’t argue; it was the one part of the whole trip he hadn’t been looking forward to.

Forty minutes later, they sat in California gridlock.  Dick sighed for the eighth time since leaving the hotel.  “How much farther is it, Bruce?”  The boy whined.

A tone of wonder in his voice, Bruce said, “Sorry, Chum.  I’ve never seen anything like this before.  A freeway…that just…stops.  There’s no construction, no accidents, no parades, no funeral processions, just…cars…not moving.  I hate to tell you this, but according to the map, and that street sign over there, we’re almost halfway there.”

Dick sat up and exclaimed, “HALFWAY!  Where are we going?”

It pained Bruce to keep quiet, but he felt it was worth the suspense.  “I can’t tell you yet; just know we’re going out to the desert.  That’s all I can say right now.”

Slumping back, Dick said, “So far, Bruce, the California Highway system is not proving to be better than Disneyland.”

Thankfully, the traffic that just stopped, started up again, and thirty minutes later, the car wound its way through dusty backroads near the barren foothills.  Dick was staring out of the window, marveling at the change of scenery from the cityscape of just a few minutes ago.

“Wow…It’s like we’re in a different state or something.  It’s so different out here, Bruce.  Are you sure we’re still in California?”

Smiling, Bruce glanced in the rearview mirror at the boy, “Yes, kiddo.  I told you, this is a big state.”

Dick swiveled his head as he tried to read a passing road sign.  “Is that where we’re going?  Co-uh-chell-uh?  Is that how you say it?”

“Yes, Chum.  We’re going to Coachella.  Something very special is happening there today.”

“Really?  What is it?”

Bruce thought for a second, drawing out the tension.  “Well, we’re going to see…your reaction to your surprise when we get there.”

Quietly, Dick said, “Awww…that’s not fair.”

“Relax, we’ll be there soon enough.”

Turning, Dick said, “You’re awfully quiet, Alfred.  Is everything okay?”

Startled, the butler said, “Of course, Master Dick.  Why do you ask?”

He cocked his head and regarded the man sitting across from him, “You look…uncomfortable.  You’re not getting sick, are you?”

“No, my boy.  Maybe a little tired of being in the car, but that can’t be helped right now.  Are you excited for your surprise?”

Dick nodded, “You bet!  Alfred, do _you_ know what my surprise is?”

“Indeed I do, Master Dick.”

A light dawned, “Wait…my surprise isn’t the reason you look…pensive?  Is that the word, pensive?”

Only Alfred caught Bruce’s slight inhalation of breath, “Perhaps, Master Dick.  Mostly, I am just worried whether you will like your surprise.”

Undeterred, Dick continued his train of thought, “I don’t like when you look like that.  It makes me feel like one of us is in trouble.  In fact, the last time I saw you have a look like that was the day that Bruce…”  The sharp intake of breath from the boy caused Bruce to wince, then grimace as he knew Dick had guessed his surprise.

An awed whisper wound its way into Bruce’s ears, “Bruce…are we…are we going to…the…the _circus_?”

Bruce heaved a heavy sigh at the blown surprise, yet part of his mind rejoiced at the intuition and deductive reasoning skills made evident in the past couple of minutes.  Bruce didn’t reply to the inquiry; he didn’t have to.  Rounding the next bend, the peaks of the Big Top could be seen in the distance.

The boy squealed in delight at the prospect of going to the circus.  He then gasped audibly as he made out the flag flying from the tallest pole, and the script ‘H’ that had been an everyday sight for the first eight years of his life.

“Bruce,” a stunned whisper broke out from the back seat, “This is _my_ circus.”

“Yes, Chum, but this is also a business transaction.”

Bruce could see the puzzled face in the rearview mirror, “I don’t get it, what do you mean?”

Bruce laid it out, “If you remember, you are now a silent partner in the running of this particular circus.  Today, you get to be a little less silent.  There is a little staffing matter that you have to deal with.”

The face in the mirror was still confused, “I still don’t get it, Bruce.”

The man smiled as he said, “You will.  Let’s just get there first, okay.”

They drove through the empty parking lot, a look of confusion on Dick’s young face.  “Bruce, where is everyone?  What time does the show start?”

“Not until tonight, kiddo.  Remember, we’re here for a business deal first.”

Bruce left the parking lot and pulled up next to the circus tent.  As he was putting the car into park, Dick exclaimed, “No, Bruce!  You can’t park here; it’s bad luck!”

Turning in his seat, his expression half confused, half amused, Bruce asked, “Bad luck?  Is this another circus tradition?”

Dick looked at the man, wide eyed, “We can’t park next to the big top.  Cars spook the animals; even the smell of the exhaust can set them off.  Park over there, behind the midway.”

Obligingly, Bruce moved the car to where Dick was pointing.  He could hear Dick sigh as the car made its way away from the circus tent.  Parking behind an empty stand, Bruce asked, “Is this okay, Chum?”

Dick looked around and nodded, “Yep, this should be good, thanks.”

Exiting the vehicle, Dick took a deep breath and let the memories flow back into him.  He unconsciously turned in the direction of the animal pens, unseen but evident from the smell on the breeze.

“You know, you shouldn’t be late for your business meeting.  If you want, Alfred and I can look around while you do your business.”  Dick giggled as he heard what he had just said, yearning to get to the animals.  An elephant’s trumpet call sounded and the boy all but jumped in the direction, a grin from ear to ear.

Bruce smiled at the boy.  “There isn’t time for that now, and it isn’t my business meeting, it’s yours.”

Bruce led the confused youth into the darkened tent, slowing to let their eyes adjust to the diffused light.  As soon as Dick could see clearly again, he ran off towards the large man standing in the center ring, talking with a small group of people.

“Pop!” Dick exclaimed as he hit the man’s waist and held on tightly.

The circus master looked down at the hugging child with pure joy in his eyes.  “Ah, Dickie!  I’m so glad you could make it!  I wasn’t sure how Mr. Wayne would get you here for this, but he said he would, and that should have been good enough for me.  Oh, my boy, how you’ve grown!  Happy birthday, Dickie”

Looking up at the group before him, Mr. Haly turned Dick around and made introductions.  “Dick, I would like you to meet Bill Anderson, his wife Grace, and his sons: Bill Jr., Steven, and Josh.”

Dick shook Mr. Anderson’s hand and said, “Nice to meet you, sir.”

Smiling, Mr. Anderson looked up at Mr. Haly and asked, “Grandson, Mr. Haly?”

Mr. Haly returned the smile and said, “No, business partner.  He’s the reason you don’t have a contract yet.”

Bill Anderson looked at Dick appraisingly, and a bit suspiciously, as Mr. Haly continued, “Oh, but where are my manners?  Bill Anderson, meet Dick Grayson.”

Bill’s face paled as Grace, who had been shaking Dick’s hand, gasped and pulled her hand away to cover her mouth.  Dick looked up at Mr. Haly as the three boys looked at their parents in confusion, each thinking _who is this little squirt that has them so flustered?_

“Dick, these are the Amazing Andersons.  They are the finalists for the trapeze act.”

Dick beamed at the group in front of him, then turned back to Mr. Haly and asked with a wink, “Are they any good?”

Mr. Haly replied with a wink of his own, “Want to find out?”

Mr. Anderson stepped forward almost reverently and addressed Dick, “We will do our best for you, Mr. Grayson.”  Turning, he addressed his family, “Come, the full act.  The best we’ve ever done it.  Everything is riding on this one.”  Anderson’s three boys, all several years older than Dick, shot looks at the young boy standing next to Mr. Haly, wondering just who he was.

As they walked towards the stands to join Bruce and Alfred, Dick asked, “Why did they seem so nervous when they heard my name?  I wasn’t trying to make them nervous with my joke.  Did they not get it?”

Mr. Haly placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder, “It was just a shock for them.  You have to understand, Dickie, your name still carries a lot of weight in the circus world.”

Shocked at that news, Dick sat next to Bruce as the two men shook hands.  Dick then jumped up and said, “Oh, sorry.  Where are my manners?  Alfred, this is C.C. Haly.  Pop Haly, this is Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce’s butler.”

Alfred and Bruce smiled at the boy as Alfred and Mr. Haly shook hands.  “Mr. Haly, it is my pleasure,” Alfred said to the man.

Bruce sat down and pulled Dick in tight to whisper in his ear, “I was just about to do that, kiddo.”

Dick looked at his father and said, “Yeah?  But, it was my place to make the introductions, since I know both of them.  Alfred said so when he was teaching me all that etiquette stuff.  I was being rude.  Sorry, I shouldn’t have ran off like that, especially before introducing Alfred.”

Bruce smiled, “It’s okay, Chum.  You can’t help being you.  Besides, you are here so you can see your old family again; it’s okay to be happy to see them.”

The Anderson’s were doing a few warm up passes before starting.  Dick watched with a critical eye as the family flew across the open space.  Leaning over to Mr. Haly, Dick asked, “Is the safety net in good shape?”

Shocked at the question, Mr. Haly asked, “Why do you ask, Dick?”

He responded, “They look nervous.  One of them is going to fall.”

Bruce and Alfred stared in horror at the boy as he made his prediction.  Alfred leaned over to Bruce and whispered, “Should we allow the young master to watch this?  It may trigger some bad memories if the mother or father should be the one to fall.”

Bruce took another glance at the serious expression on Dick’s face and whispered back, “I think he’ll be okay.  Besides, we’re here with him.  If anything happens, he won’t be left alone this time.”

Mr. Haly wound a beefy arm around Dick’s shoulders, wondering what the boy was really thinking about, “I assure you, it is a brand new net; we just upgraded it last month when we started taking applicants for trapeze acts.”  Looking at Bruce, he continued, “It was a condition of the deal.”

“Okay, Mr. Haly, we’re ready.  Start it up!”  Mr. Anderson yelled from the platform.  Spotlights hit the family as dramatic music started playing.  Bill and Grace began with a few simple passes, a couple twists here, a flip there, looking for all the world like they were just building up.  Suddenly, the music hit a crescendo as all five Andersons began making passes, pulling more and more complex maneuvers.  They then cleared the space so they could take individual, featured passes. 

A minute later, Dick stood up and pointed at one of the sons, still standing on the platform.  “There, him.”

Bruce looked confused, “Dick?  He’s standing still.  What are you…?”

As Bruce was speaking, the boy in question, Anderson’s middle son, Steven, made his pass, attempted a triple somersault, under-rotated, missed his grab, and went to net.  To their credit, the Anderson’s continued their performance, finishing after three more passes.

The assembled men applauded politely, Bruce and Alfred wondering how Dick could tell the aerialist was going to fall.  Bruce was also impressed, and thought ‘ _is that what you used to do, kiddo?’_

Dick watched the boy standing next to the middle pole, his head hung in disappointment.  As the family climbed down the ladders, Mr. Anderson dove into the net to get down to his son faster.  Bruce stood, waiting for the man to react to his son falling during what was essentially a job interview.  Dick was watching, as well.

Mr. Anderson approached his son, knelt down, and pulled the boy into a tight hug.  Dick could hear the boy crying, “I’m sorry, dad.  I messed up.”  Dick couldn’t hear Mr. Anderson’s reply, but it didn’t matter to Dick; the man had passed his test in Dick’s book.

Dick turned to Mr. Haly and asked, “May I be the one to tell them that they got the job?”

Mr. Haly smiled, “I was hoping you would say that.  I’m going to go to my trailer to get their contract.  I’ll be right back.  You go tell them the good news, partner.”

Mr. Haly walked out of the tent as the other three men approached the aerialists.  Bruce and Alfred hung back at the edge of the ring to let Dick assume his lead role.  Dick didn’t notice they weren’t with him until he was in the center of the ring, in front of the family.  He looked back at Bruce, who waved the boy forward to continue.  Shrugging, Dick held out his hand to Mr. Anderson.  When the man took it, Dick smiled and said, “Welcome to the family.  You’re hired.”

Grace spoke up, a relieved smile on her face, “Thank you.  That means a lot, coming from you.”

Dick looked at the family and said, “Mr. Haly went to his trailer to get your contract, but he should be right back.”

Mr. Anderson nervously asked, “I hate to ask, but what put us over the top?  I know we aren’t as good as the Flying Grayson’s were.”

Dick regarded the man and said, “Not yet, but you can get there.  What put it over the top for me was that you fell,” he pointed at the middle son, who still had a few tears in his eyes, “and your first thought was to run and hug him.  You weren’t mad that he fell, just glad that he was okay.”

The oldest son, still wary of the small boy that seemed to be in charge of his family’s future, blurted out to his mother, “Who is this kid?  Why are you and dad treating him like he’s the boss?”

With an apologetic look to Dick, Grace said, “Billy, this is Dick Grayson, of the Flying Grayson’s.  They were the best aerialists and trapeze artists in the country.  They traveled the world to perform.  This kid, as you call him, is able to pull off skills easily that your father struggles with.”

“Well, if they’re so good, why aren’t they still performing?”

Dick spoke up, a twinge of hurt in his voice to match the haunted look in his eyes, “The Flying Grayson’s no longer perform because my parents are dead.  Their lines snapped during a performance.  The Flying Grayson’s never used safety nets.  I wish we had.”

Billy’s face flushed a deep red, “Oh…um…sorry.” He glanced awkwardly at the smaller boy before asking, “Do…do you still…I mean are you still able to…you know?”  The teen nodded up at the trapeze.

Dick followed his gaze and said, “I don’t know.  I haven’t been on a trapeze in two years.  I can still do my warm up routine on the bars, though.  I even added a few things to that since, as well, but I haven’t had a chance to get on a trap.”

Mr. Anderson spoke up, “If Mr. Haly allows it, I’m sure he would love to see you swing.  It would be my honor to catch if you had something special in mind to try.”

Tempted, Dick waved Bruce and Alfred over.  “I have to ask Bruce.  He took me in after my parents…well.” Dick trailed off as the two men approached, “Bruce!  Alfred!  Bruce, Alfred, this is Bill Anderson, his wife Grace, and their sons Bill Jr., Steven, and Josh.  Mr. Anderson, this is my da-guardian, Bruce Wayne, and his butler, Alfred Pennyworth.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Bruce said, shaking hands all around, impressed at Dick’s introduction.  _He wanted to call me his dad, I heard it._

“Bruce, Mr. Anderson has offered to take me up on the trapeze.  His sons would like to see what’s left of the Flying Grayson’s.  May I…please?”

Bruce’s eyes glazed over as he saw Dick’s parents falling to their deaths all over again behind his eyes.  The smiling, inquisitive eleven year old in front of him faded into the scared, crying eight year old, begging Bruce to make everything turn out to be just a terrible nightmare.  He pulled the boy a safe distance away, then knelt with his back to the rest of the tent.  “Dick…I…I just don’t know.”

Dick turned his back as well and whispered, “Bruce, I’m not going to fall.  The lines aren’t going to break.  They just held them, and they are all a lot heavier than I am.  _They_ wouldn’t have fallen either…if it wasn’t…you know.”  Bruce knew which _they_ the boy was talking about.

“Dick, it’s been so long.”

Dick whispered closer to the man’s ear, “Robin doesn’t miss.”

Bruce replied in the same tone, “Robin has never been on a trapeze before.”

Smiling, Dick said, “Then it’s a good thing that Dick is here.  Please, Bruce?  I just want to make two passes.  I’ll even have him put me down on his side platform, instead of swinging through, back to my starting platform.”

“Well,” Bruce couldn’t look at the pleading face, “If you fall…”

The pleading face broke out into a bright smile, “I won’t.  It’s not my first time, Bruce.”

“I know, but don’t scare me up there.  Don’t make me regret this.”

The boy beamed, “I love you, daddy.  I’ll be quick.”

As Dick walked away, Bruce said, “Don’t be quick, be safe.”

Dick walked back to the waiting group, Bruce already rethinking his decision.  “Mr. Anderson, I would be honored if you would catch me for two passes, please.”

Mr. Anderson smiled, “It’s my honor, Mr. Grayson.”

Dick gave a funny look, “Mr. Grayson is… _was_ …my dad.  Call me Dick.”

“Okay, Dick.  Do you need anything before we start?”

“Just let me loosen up a bit.”  Dick did some basic stretches, then a standing back flip that caught Alfred off guard.

The butler walked over to Bruce and asked, “You’re actually allowing this, Master Bruce?”

Bruce nodded absently, his eyes never leaving Dick as he wondered if this would be the last time he saw the boy’s body whole and unbroken, “He seems confident.  I’m sweating bullets.”

Almost panicked, Alfred asked, “Why, Master Bruce?  Why are you allowing this?”

“Alfred, if we had a space big enough, I would have bought him a trapeze years ago, you know that, we talked about that.  They have a safety net; we know it works.  It should, for as much as I paid for the circus to buy it.  He seems so confident, I don’t want to squash that.  But, I don’t like this, and I won’t until this is over.”

They watched from the edge of the ring as Dick did some more tumbling to warm up.  Too soon for Bruce, Dick was talking over his plans with Mr. Anderson.  The boy then ran over to Bruce and Alfred and took off his shirt, shoes, and socks, then ran back and began climbing to the platform.  Bruce winced as he made out several of the scars his boy had earned as Robin as they glared in the bright spotlights.  Bruce and Alfred looked around as several circus performers gravitated over to the center ring, knowing something special was about to happen.

Dick took an experimental swing to get used to the feeling again before allowing Mr. Anderson to swing to the opposite platform.  Dick chalked his hands, then nodded to Mr. Anderson.  Mr. Haly came running into the tent, panting next to Bruce as he watched the boy take off.  The aerialists performed a simple transfer to get used to working together.  Bruce could hear Dick talking to the man, but couldn’t make out what was said.  Bruce was holding his breath as Dick grabbed his own trapeze again.  Swinging through, Dick turned three flips and two twists before catching both of the older man’s hands with practiced ease.  Shouts and whistles of encouragement sprang up from the crowd.  Dick was passed off to his own trapeze again.  He began swinging to get more momentum as Bruce’s jaw dropped, thinking ‘ _he made that look so easy; my Robin, flying again_.’  Swinging through, Bruce held his breath again as Dick released his bar once more, turning four full somersaults in his signature move before grabbing Mr. Anderson intentionally with one hand.  Alfred wavered next to Bruce, and the man thought the butler might faint as the crowd of twenty made a noise to rival a crowd of two hundred.

Bruce ran to the pole as Mr. Anderson set Dick on the platform.  Mr. Anderson landed himself a second later, but Dick was already halfway down the ladder.  He never made it to the ground as Bruce swept him off the ladder and into a crushing hug.

Dick felt the man shaking as he hugged the boy, and a tear leaked from Bruce’s eye as he stared at Dick.  Dick whispered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, dad.”

The man shook his head and whispered back, “I’m so proud of you, Dickie, you were amazing.”  He pulled the boy’s head closer, looking like he was hugging the boy again as he breathed in his ear, “Even better than Robin.”

The boy absolutely beamed as he asked to be put down.  Reluctantly, Bruce agreed.  Dick walked up to Mr. Anderson and held out his hand.  Shaking hands, Dick said, “Thank you very much, Mr. Anderson.  I’ve missed that, a lot.”

“It’s been my pleasure, Dick.”  The man turned to his sons to speak about what they could learn.

Mr. Haly picked Dick up and placed him on his shoulder like a conquering hero.  Dick spoke from his lofty height.  “Thanks everyone, but you shouldn’t be cheering me.  You should be welcoming the new members of your family, the Anderson’s.  I think they will do good here.”  Several of the performers turned to the family, suddenly in the spotlight, and welcomed them.

Able to turn the attention away from himself, Dick worked his way back to Bruce and Alfred.  As Alfred handed him his shirt back and he put it on, Dick said, “I’m sorry Alfred.  I didn’t mean to scare either of you.  It just felt so good to be back up there.”

A smile breaking through his pallid features, Alfred said, “Nonsense, my boy.  You looked amazing up there.  I can only imagine what the rest of your act looked like.  Your family must have been glorious.”

Dick took his shoes back from the butler, but made no move to put them on.  Bruce looked down and saw Dick unconsciously flexing his toes in the dirt, reveling in the feel of the earth between his digits.  Bruce wondered how often the boy had actually worn shoes before coming to the manor.  _How much has he had to change about himself in living with us?_   Bruce knew the boy had shoes before coming to the manor, he had seen them, but in an environment such as the circus, they couldn’t have been an everyday necessity, especially if they would be a hindrance on the trapeze.

Catching the angle of Bruce’s gaze, Dick said, “Oh, sorry,” and quickly sat down to put the footwear back on.  Bruce sat on the seat next to him and placed his hands over Dick’s.

“You didn’t wear them much, growing up here, did you?”

The boy stopped, but didn’t look up.  “No.  They’re too heavy to perform in, and we really didn’t need them around camp.”

“Then I think we can make an exception while we’re here.  That is, if it’s okay with you.”

The boy just smiled, then looked around the tent wistfully.  “I know I’m pushing my luck, and I know Alfred doesn’t really like it, but…do you think…I mean, if it’s okay with both of you…could we…”

Bruce smiled, knowing what was coming, “Dick, just spit it out already.”

Taking a deep breath, Dick said, “Okay, could we…um…stay and watch the show?  I mean, we’re already here, and it’s a long way back to the hotel…and you could buy the tickets out of my allowance, if that’s a problem.”

Dick looked so hopeful that Bruce had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing, and hoped that his planned answer to this question, one he had been expecting much sooner than now, wouldn’t hurt the boy too much.

Bruce took the boy’s hand and looked him in the eye.  He could see Dick deflating as he predicted a ‘no’ answer.  “Dick, I’m sorry, but the answer is no.  No, you can’t stay to watch the show.”

Dick gave a small sniff, but didn’t offer any outburst or crying, as Bruce had expected.  “I see.  Thanks for bringing me here today, anyway.  …Wait, why can’t we stay to watch?”

Bruce couldn’t help but smile, “I never said ‘we’; I said ‘you’.  First of all, you don’t get an allowance, so you couldn’t use that to buy tickets.  Second, Alfred and I are staying to watch from the owner’s box, so we don’t need tickets.  Third,” Bruce could see tears forming in the boy’s bright blue eyes and hurried his explanation, “You can’t watch the show because I worked out with Mr. Haly for you to have a part _in_ the show.”

Bruce watched as a myriad of emotions played over the child’s face, before settling on joy as Dick threw himself at Bruce for a hug.  As Bruce held the boy, Alfred shook his head and said, “You enjoy doing that to him, don’t you?”  Bruce smiled and winked at the butler.

From the center ring, Mr. Haly called out, “Come everyone, lunch is served.  We have potluck set up; a celebration to welcome in new family members, and to welcome back old.”

Dick looked at Bruce, a content look on his face.  “Are we staying for lunch?”

Instead of trying some joke, Bruce just answered, “Of course, chum.  We’re here, and we have to eat sometime.”

As they followed the performers out of the tent, Dick stopped and looked at Bruce and Alfred in embarrassed concern.  “Bruce, Alfred, he said potluck.  We didn’t bring anything to share with the group.  That’s how it works, everybody brings something.”

Mr. Haly, who had been waiting for Dick outside of the tent, slapped a hand on Dick’s shoulder and pulled the child tight into his side.  “Nonsense, little one.  While you are family, and will always have a home at Haly’s, today you are my special guest, as is your new family.  You will eat at my table.  Besides, _they_ brought _you_ , which is enough for me.  I want to hear everything that has happened in the past two years.”

Dick shot a nervous look at Bruce, who was just a bit jealous that Dick was so close and comfortable with his old family.  Bruce gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head.

Mr. Haly walked off to check on the meal.  Dick returned to Bruce and asked in an urgent whisper, “He wants to know everything I’ve done in the last two years.  What do I tell him?”

Bruce smiled, “Relax, kiddo.  Just tell him everything you’ve done in the last two years…during the day.  He doesn’t need, or even want, to know what you do after dark.  Don’t lie, just don’t offer more than necessary, and don’t make it sound like you’re keeping secrets.  You can do it.  If it gets too hard just turn it back on him.  Ask about the circus.  Ask about what you’re going to do in the show tonight.  I’m sure he will be happy to talk about that.”

As it turned out, Dick didn’t have to worry about his nightlife coming out, as every two minutes he was interrupted by another circus member saying hello or coming by to see the prodigal son.  Finally, towards the end of the meal, Dick was able to ask about the coming show.

“So, um…Bruce said he…um…worked it out with you so that I…I could be in the show tonight?”

Mr. Haly laughed, “Of course, young man!  We wouldn’t bring you all the way out here just to watch; not my Dickie.”

Encouraged, Dick asked, “So, what am I doing?  Taking tickets?  Directing traffic?  Parking cars?  I know I’m not on the trapeze, that’s for the Andersons.”

“Always the Joker; that’s our Dickie.”  The jolly man didn’t notice the wince from Bruce or the alarmed look from Dick at the title.  “No, my boy.  I have it all laid out in my head.  First, you come riding in on Bertha…”

“I get to ride Bertha!”  The boy’s eyes grew wide.

“Yes.  Then, after a trip around the big top, you dismount and spend the rest of the show at my side, as Assistant Ringmaster.”

Stunned, Dick looked at the man in awe.  “But…but…you’ve never had an Assistant Ringmaster.”

Smiling down at the boy, he said, “Well, if the circus is going to be yours one day, you need to get used to all the duties around here.”

Dick nodded, then caught on to what was said, “Wait, mine?  You mean…”

“Just because you aren’t here all the time anymore, doesn’t mean you are no longer family.  I wasn’t about to change my will just because you live with Mr. Wayne now.”

“Bruce, did you hear that?” the wide eyed boy asked his guardian.

Bruce smiled, “See?  I told you people like to give you things.  Just think, one day you will be in charge of one of the biggest companies in the country, and owner of the best traveling circus in the world.”

Dick’s face fell as a thought hit him, “But…won’t that mean…”

Bruce cut him off, “Don’t think about that.  I didn’t say it would happen tomorrow; we’re talking years down the road here.  But, it should be comforting to know that your future is assured, and, through you, our legacies will live on.”

Mr. Haly wiped an eye, “I couldn’t have said it better myself, Mr. Wayne.”  Standing, he called out, “Everyone, lift your glasses and toast with me: To the future!  May it always be as bright as it looks today!”

The gathering finally broke up after another hour.  Bruce, Alfred, and Dick were left alone, wondering what to do to kill the next three hours before the night’s show.  Mr. Haly had told Dick to be at his trailer an hour before the show to prepare, leaving them with two hours to fill.

They wandered around the grounds, Dick giving a bit of a tour, but the boy had to guess at several items that had been added to the circus in the last two years.  As the tour progressed, Dick sank into a deeper and deeper funk. 

His mood brightened as they saw the elephants.  The elephant wrangler took Dick straight to Bertha, unaware that this was the same boy she had shooed away from the animal a month earlier.  He spent the better part of an hour silently communing with his old friend before returning to Bruce and Alfred, his face determinedly pointed at his bare feet.

Alfred stepped in front of the boy and asked, “Master Dick, you seem quite out of sorts for the upcoming activities.  Whatever is the matter?”

Dick almost sobbed, “You two put all this together for me, and I can’t do it.”

“Dear boy, of course you can.  That is the whole reason we are here today.”

Dick interrupted, pointing at himself, “I can’t be an Assistant Ringmaster dressed like this.”

Bruce spoke up, regarding the child’s shirt, “No, he’s right, Alfred.  Think there’s anything we can do about that?”

Unseen by Dick, Alfred smirked and said, “Well, we don’t have time to go back to the hotel…”

Dick interrupted again, “…And I didn’t bring anything that nice with us.  Bruce told me not to bring my suit.”

Bruce was glad that Dick wasn’t looking at him, because he couldn’t keep a straight face.  “I think there are some clothes in the car.  Maybe we can come up with something that might work?”

As they approached the vehicle, the glum child grumbled, “We might as well get in and go.  Where are we going to find something suitable in the next twenty minutes?”

Alfred cleared his throat, then popped the trunk, revealing a wrapped package that Dick could have sworn hadn’t been in the trunk before.  He slowly approached the trunk, looking at the wrapped box, then turned back to the smiling adults and said, “You guys!  Why do you like doing that to me?”

Bruce ruffled his hair and asked back, “Why do you keep falling for it?”

Dick turned back to the box and asked, “May I?”

Alfred said, “I daresay you will need it quite soon, so yes, and thank you for asking first.”

“Go for it, chum,” Bruce said.

Dick ripped into the box, fully expecting Alfred to have packed his suit from home.  What he pulled out of the box was a full Ringmaster’s tuxedo, albeit one tailored to his diminutive size.  He had a jacket with tails, parade pants, knee length boots, a crisp white shirt, and a bright red, sequined vest.

“Alfred, it’s…it’s wonderful.  It’s perfect.”

“I’m afraid the top hat wouldn’t fit in the box…”

Dick looked up at the butler, “That’s okay, Alfred.  This suit will look good without one.”

Alfred stepped closer to the trunk and asked, “Are you sure, young sir?  What I was going to say was the top hat wouldn’t fit in the box, so it had to have one of its own.”  He reached in, behind the suit box, and pulled out another box.  Opening it, Alfred pulled out the top hat and placed it on the child’s head.

Caught up in emotion, Dick had no words.  He just hugged the butler, then his father, then the butler again.

“Hey,” Bruce asked, “Why does he get two?”

Still holding on to Alfred, Dick turned his head and said with a smile, “Because he made the suit, silly.”

“But…”

“But what, Master Bruce?  Let the boy make his own decisions,” Alfred said, holding the child possessively.

Soon releasing the butler, Dick returned to the suit and asked, “Alfred, do you mind if I make a few…um…alterations to the suit?”

Alfred looked confused, “Alterations, young sir?  I assure you, it is tailored exactly to your size.  I used your current, uh, _night_ clothes as a template.  As long as those still fit, this should as well.”

Dick looked a bit uncomfortable, “Well, I’m not concerned about it fitting as much as I am about it fitting _in_.  I may need something a bit different for riding Bertha.  I have an idea already, and I just need to adjust a few things with this suit.  I just want your permission before I do it.”

Alfred considered the boy.  _He knows far more about circus performing than I do, what would be the harm?_   “I don’t see any reason why not.  Do you require any assistance?”

“No Alfred.  I can manage.”

Around them, the midway had opened for business, and the crowds were starting to pour in.  Bruce looked at his watch and said, “Hey, chum.  You’re supposed to meet Mr. Haly an hour before the show.  That’s now.  Need any help getting the suit on?”

“No thanks, Bruce.  I’ll get dressed in Pop’s trailer.  You two should grab your seats.  Oh, this is going to be _so_ cool.”  Dick ran off, but turned around as he was running and shouted, “Thanks Bruce!  Thanks Alfred!”

Watching his son run off to join the circus was more painful than Bruce thought it would be.  He knew the boy would be back at his side in a couple hours, but what would change in that time?  Turning to Alfred with a longing look on his face, Bruce said, “Well, old friend.  Should we go get our seats?”

Closing the trunk, Alfred said, “Not until you tell me what’s wrong, Master Bruce.”

Bruce sighed, “I just feel that tonight is going to change something between us.  I feel like…letting him do this…he’s going to want to come back to the circus.  I don’t want to lose him, Alfred, I couldn’t stand it.”

Alfred placed a comforting hand on Bruce’s shoulder as they walked slowly towards the big top.  “Bruce, you aren’t going to lose him.  I guarantee, he will view tonight as a wonderful experience, then return to you as soon as it is over.  He could have spent the whole day with old friends here, and we might not have seen him until it is time to return to the hotel.  But what did he do?  He went out of his way to include us in his old home.  He made sure to ask your permission before going on the trapeze.  He introduced us to everyone who was important to him with such warmth that no one could suggest he didn’t want to stay with you.  Let him have his freedom; he will come back stronger for it, and you may find you have a better relationship tomorrow than you did today.”

Bruce sniffed and thought of the wisdom in the butler’s words as they waited for the show to start.  As the lights dimmed, Alfred asked, “What do you suppose Master Dick meant when he said alterations?”

A slight grin came to Bruce’s face as he made a prediction, “I don’t want to say for sure, but I think I have an idea.  You will have to admit, though, the full tuxedo will be a bit much for riding an elephant around a circus tent.”

Alfred looked thoughtful as clowns piled into the arena, “I hadn’t thought about that.  You may be right, Master Bruce.”

Alfred shuddered, startling Bruce, “What is it, Alfred?”

The butler looked a bit embarrassed, “I may have told Master Dick that I don’t like wild animals in enclosed spaces, but clowns are the real evil of the circus.”

Bruce nodded, then said, “It’s a good thing that we don’t have the ringside seats that Dick and I had last month, then.”

“Yes,” the butler said dryly, “I would have had to wait in the car had we been forced closer.”

Mr. Haly walked to the middle of the center ring, a microphone in one hand and Dick’s top hat in the other.  Before Bruce could do more than wonder why the man was holding his son’s hat, Mr. Haly began speaking.

“Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen!  I am C.C. Haly, and welcome to my circus!  Tonight, for any of you who may have seen us perform before, is going to be a little different.  For tonight, Haly’s Circus will be introducing a new act.  After a long search, we have a new trapeze act that will be making their world debut tonight.  And, as a special surprise, I will have an assistant tonight.  Someone very special will be making his grand return to the circus for this special performance.  This may be a one night only performance, so you should all consider yourselves lucky to have shown up tonight.  All that is to come later.  So, for now, on with the show!”

At a signal from the ringmaster, the spotlights turned to the entrance of the tent.  The ground quaked and a series of trumpet calls heralded the arrival of the circus’ herd of elephants.  The gentle giants entered in a long line, working their way clockwise around the perimeter of the tent.  Bruce recognized the largest of the beasts as the one Dick had spent so much time with earlier, Bertha, the elephant that Dick had been promised a chance to ride.

Bruce leaned over to Alfred, to ask over the cheering, “That’s Bertha, I recognize her from earlier, but I don’t see Dick.”

Alfred leaned closer and squinted.  At half a tent away, he spotted the child, astride the elephant.  “He’s there, Master Bruce.  That creature is so big, it makes him look absolutely tiny in comparison.”

Bruce squinted, and was finally able to make out his son, sitting on the elephant’s neck.  Smiling, he nudged Alfred, “Now we know what he meant by ‘alterations’.  You have to admit, that is far more appropriate for riding an elephant, don’t you think?”

Alfred couldn’t disagree.  Dick’s outfit seemed more in line with what the other riders were wearing than the full tuxedo would have been.  Dick had pared down the uniform to just the parade pants and the sequined vest, the bright red complementing his tan skin, the flashing sequins catching every bit of light, making the child appear to be wearing a red disco ball.

Dick smiled and waved to the crowd, scanning every face for the two he sought out.  He hadn’t thought to ask where they were sitting, other than Bruce’s admission of sitting in the owner’s box.  While that was a good piece of knowledge, he didn’t actually know where the owner’s box was.  He refused to break character, but with each passing moment, his smile dimmed in intensity as he didn’t see Bruce or Alfred.  _What if I missed them?  What if Alfred didn’t want to stay, because of the animals?  What if…if Bruce didn’t want to see this?  They wouldn’t just leave me here, would they?_

Bruce noticed a shift in Dick’s posture, and knew immediately what was going on.  _He’s looking for me!  He doesn’t see us yet, and he’s starting to think we aren’t here.  Oh, no baby…not now.  You need all the confidence you have right now._  

As the lead pachyderm approached, Bruce stood up and waved.  He didn’t care about the people behind him, or the comments that grew louder the longer he stood.  That was his boy out there, and he was going to make sure Dick knew where he was tonight.

Just as his smile was in danger of completely slipping off his face, three-quarters of the way around the tent from where he entered, Dick continued his search of the crowd.  At about eye-level, he saw Bruce, standing, waving, making sure Dick saw him.  The smile that was about to vanish grew large enough that the reflection of the lights on his white teeth was just as blinding as the reflection from his vest.  He leaned over and spoke into the elephant’s ear, “Okay Bertha, just like we used to.  I know you remember; let’s do it now.”

Bruce thought to himself, _what is he doing?  Is he actually talking to the elephant, letting her know that he spotted us?_ As he wondered, the boy and the beast stopped.  Dick slapped Bertha’s head, and the elephant reared back and stood on her hind legs, trunk held high.  Bruce gasped as he thought Dick would be thrown, but as the elephant reached the crucial angle, Dick launched himself up and forward, landing in a handstand, balanced perfectly on the rearing pachyderm’s head.  As the applause grew to deafening proportions, Dick shifted his weight to one hand and waved from his inverted position, his gesture taking in the whole crowd, but his eyes never leaving Bruce’s face.

Only when Bruce sat down again did Dick pat Bertha’s head twice, in the long-ago rehearsed signal to end the trick.  As Bertha was lowering her front legs to the ground again, Dick rolled through a well-balanced somersault and ended standing on the creature’s back, waving to the crowd as they continued their trek around the big top.

Bruce was poked hard in the shoulder from behind.  “What the hell, man?  You _do_ realize that there are people sitting behind you, right?”

Bruce wheeled around on the man, and only Alfred’s hand landing on his forearm prevented a full Batglare from piercing the man.  Even so, the glare rendered was enough to make the man recoil back, knowing he had gone too far.  Bruce growled, “Not that it’s any of your business, but the kid riding that elephant happens to be my son.  That little trick out there?  That was for me.”  Bruce turned back to the show, wondering if he had overreacted a bit.  He was sure Alfred would make note of it and chastise him later.

Unfortunately for Bruce, Alfred didn’t wait.  The butler leaned over and spoke into Bruce’s ear as the line of elephants made its way out of the tent.  Expecting a rebuke, Bruce was more than slightly surprised to hear the butler say, “Well handled, sir.”

As the applause was fading away, Mr. Haly was retaking the center ring.  He glanced towards the exit of the tent, then addressed the crowd.  “How about that, ladies and gentlemen?  Now, it is time for me to introduce my surprise guest assistant.  He is a talented young acrobat and an entrancing performer.  In fact, you all just got a small taste of his skills, if you were paying attention.  He is also family, and was born in our circus.  Now, I have stalled the show long enough, so without further ado, please welcome Dick Grayson!”

The spotlights turned from Mr. Haly to the exit of the tent, catching up with Dick as he was jogging back into the arena.  Dick had obviously been hurriedly trying to get the rest of his suit on when he was called out.  He was still buttoning his jacket as he jumped over the ring and trotted to Mr. Haly’s side.  As he turned and waved to the assembled crowd and accepted their applause, Mr. Haly placed the top hat on the boy’s head.

Bruce smiled at the look of joy of Dick’s face.  _There’s my little man.  Just look at how…oh, Alfred isn’t going to like that._   Dick turned in Bruce’s direction and waved directly at him and Alfred.  Bruce had thought that Dick was scrambling backstage to reassemble the costume that Alfred spent so much time creating.  Instead, Dick had just buttoned the vest and threw his jacket on over the top.  Bruce had to imagine that the pristine, white shirt was still back in Mr. Haly’s tent, along with the boots.  _Well, I did make an exception earlier about his shoes.  Whatever makes him comfortable in front of this crowd, I guess._

Bruce glanced at Alfred, noticing a strained look on the butler’s face.  _Yep, he doesn’t like that._   “Something wrong, Alfred?”

A small twitch breaking out under his left eye, Alfred stated, “I do wish you had rescinded your exception regarding the young master’s footwear.  The boots would really make the outfit pop.”

“Maybe they are just backstage, and he didn’t have time to put them on before being introduced?”  Bruce knew that wasn’t the case.  He also knew that the next time he saw the boots would be when Dick slipped them back into the trunk of the car after the show.

The next act was the tightrope walkers, followed by the lions, and so far, all Dick had done was stand next to Mr. Haly and smile.  Bruce wondered exactly why the older man had wanted Dick to assist him if he wasn’t actually going to do anything.

A group of roustabouts ran into the tent, hauling the safety net for the trapeze, followed closely by Mr. Anderson.  As they set up the safety device under the watchful eye of Mr. Anderson, Mr. Haly handed the microphone to Dick and took a few steps back.

For the first time that evening, Bruce saw a hint of nerves as Dick raised the microphone in a slightly shaky hand to his mouth.  “Good evening everyone, how do you like the show so far?” After the obligatory applause died down, Dick continued.  “So, as Mr. Haly said, my name is Dick Grayson, and two years ago I was a member of this circus.  This place was my first home, and I miss it terribly.  See, I was part of a group known as the Flying Grayson’s.”  A standing ovation broke out, causing Dick to smile broadly.  “Oh, good.  So, I take it you’ve heard of us?”  Dick had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand as they laughed appropriately at his joke.  “My parents toured with this circus long before I was born, and I started performing as soon as I could put on a good show for our crowds.  Well, they…they’re gone now, and I’ve… _retired…_ from the circus to pursue other ventures, like starting the sixth grade.”  Another laugh broke out, along with scattered murmuring.  Dick received a nod from Mr. Anderson, indicating everything was ready.  Nodding back, Dick continued, “Since the Flying Grayson’s are no longer performing, Haly’s Circus has been without a trapeze act.  But…I am proud to announce that that hole in the lineup is no longer empty.  To be honest, I just saw this act for the first time earlier today, but I have to say that they have a lot of talent, a lot of heart, and a lot of promise.  Making their grand debut tonight, in front of all you fine folks, it is my privilege to present to you: Bill, Grace, Bill Jr., Steven, and Josh.  Ladies and gentlemen, the Amazing Andersons!”

The spotlights shifted to the family flying through the air at the top of the tent.  They performed the same routine that they had auditioned in front of Dick earlier that afternoon, but tonight their performance was flawless.  Their performance was met with a standing ovation, but no one was clapping harder than Dick as the family descended from the elevated platforms.

Dick and Mr. Haly approached Mr. Anderson and both shook his hand.  Dick then raised the microphone back to his mouth and said, “Mr. Haly, as the last member of your old trapeze act, I present to you, your new trapeze act.  They will be just as good, both in talent and for the circus, as your last act was.  Mr. Anderson, you and your family have some big shoes to fill, um…figuratively speaking, since I’m not wearing any, but you are off to a great start, and I know you will make us proud.”  Dick handed the microphone back to Mr. Haly as the Andersons filed out of the tent.  Mr. Haly pulled the child tightly into his side as he introduced the next act, the grand finale.

The circus ended several minutes later to a standing ovation and calls for an encore.  The entire complement of performers took their bows, and Mr. Haly insisted that Dick take an extra bow before the complement filed out of the tent.  Slowly, the circus tent emptied of spectators, until only Bruce and Alfred remained, still in their seats and newly amazed at their boy.

Ten minutes later, Dick, now changed back into his afternoon clothes, wandered back into the tent.  His eyes went immediately to the seats he remembered Bruce and Alfred sitting in and, seeing them still there, ran over to the stands.  Sprinting up the steps as Bruce and Alfred stood, Dick used a chair two rows below as a springboard and took a flying leap to cover the remaining distance.  Landing in Bruce’s arms, he held on to the man tightly as Bruce embraced his son.

Dick whispered in Bruce’s ear, “Hi, dad.  Did I do okay?  It wasn’t too embarrassing, right?”

“Chum, you were great!  If I didn’t know better, I would say you were born to do this.”

Dick leaned back with a smile, “…But, I _was_ born to do this.  I didn’t think I would be that nervous when I had to introduce the Andersons, though.”

Bruce sat down again and set the boy in his lap, “Don’t worry about it.  I don’t think anyone noticed.  I couldn’t hear it in your voice.”

Dick looked discouraged, “…But you noticed?”

Bruce placed a hand on Dick’s cheek and said, “Only because I know you so well.  No one else here tonight, except for Alfred and myself, are lucky enough to be able to know you that well.”

Alfred said, “I thought you did extremely well, young sir.  I can only imagine what you were like when you were doing this every day.”

Dick smiled again, “Thanks, Alfred.”

“You tired, pal?”

“Uh…yeah, Bruce.”

Alfred said, “Where is your suit, Master Dick?”

“I left it in Pop’s trailer.  When we go get it, Pop said he wanted to talk to you, Bruce.”

Bruce felt his stomach drop as Dick said that.  “No.”

Dick looked confused, “No?”

Bruce looked concerned, “No.  I told him last month.  I’m not giving you back.  I…I can’t.”

Dick absorbed what Bruce said, then, after a minute, laid a hand on Bruce’s arm and said quietly, “…But, I don’t want to go back.  I want to stay with you, dad.  I told Pop Haly that earlier, when he asked if I was happy with you.  I am, by the way.  This was fun, but if I came back, then I wouldn’t be with you.”

Bruce smiled and pulled the child back into a hug.  They then went to pick up Dick’s suit.  Mr. Haly reiterated how happy he was that Bruce had been able to bring Dick and how Dick would always have a home in the circus, if he wanted to come back.  Dick had squeezed Bruce’s hand while Mr. Haly was talking about Dick’s prospects for a new home, reassuring the man that he had no intention of leaving.

They returned to the car, Alfred driving as Bruce insisted on sitting with Dick.  As they reached the freeway, Dick asked, “Hey, what are we doing tomorrow?”

“Well, chum, I was going to leave that up to you.  We have one more day here.  To be honest, I just figured you would want to go back to Disneyland.”

Dick thought for a minute before saying, “Well…um…there _is_ one more thing I want to do for my birthday, but…”

Bruce looked over to see Dick chewing on his lower lip, “But, what pal?”

Dick looked away and said, “Would…would you be upset if I said I wanted to go home tomorrow, instead of Monday?”

_Wait, he wants to leave early?_   “You want to go home early?  Is something wrong?  Please tell me I didn’t do something to upset you.”

Dick’s head snapped up to look at the man, his face glowing off and on as they passed in and out of the range of street lamps.  “What?  No, nothing like that.  It’s just…there is one more thing I want to do for my birthday, but we can _only_ do it at home.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed as he asked, “Is it…”

Dick looked serious as he replied, “Yeah.  Is that okay?”

Smiling again, Bruce said, “It’s his birthday, too, so yeah, it’s okay.  Just so long as this is what you really want.”

Returning the smile, Dick said, “It is.”

Alfred spoke from the front seat, “I shall call the airport when we return to the hotel and adjust our flight plan, then have the plane standing by for our departure.”

Dick looked forward, eyes connecting with the butler’s through the rearview mirror, “Thanks, Alfred.  Are you okay with going home a day early?  It’s your vacation, too, remember?”

“I shall defer to you in this matter, but I assure you, it is perfectly acceptable to me.”

Dick’s smile shone in the darkness, “Thanks Alfred, Bruce.  You two are the best.  How did I get so lucky to get you two?”

Bruce moved himself into the middle seat to enfold the boy in a hug.  “No, chum, you got it all wrong.  We’re the lucky ones here.”

“By the way, you were right Bruce.  This was _way_ bigger than Disneyland.”

_Sunday…_

For the fifth day in a row, Dick was awakened before dawn.  This time, however, he was all smiles as the hand landed lightly on his shoulder. 

Bruce whispered in the pre-dawn twilight of the room, “You sure this is what you want, pal?”

Standing and stretching, Dick replied, “Yeah.  I really enjoyed this week, but I miss Robin.  It’s summer, I have to get all the extra patrols in I can get, right?  I mean, I already had to stop Robin from coming out once on this trip.  It’s not fair to him to keep him cooped up for so long.  Not fair to you, either”

Bruce thought about it and said, “You know, I don’t think I’ve been just Bruce for this long in years.”

Dick looked down, away from Bruce, “Oh, sorry.”

Bruce lifted Dick’s chin with two fingers and said with a smile, “No you’re not, there is nothing to be sorry for.  Remember, I chose to take this trip.  I wanted to do this, and I had fun.  …But, don’t let that get around to Clark or…”

Dick gave a slight smile, “…Or, you’ll take my mask?”

Bruce returned the smile, “Mask?  No.  I’ll take those scaly green panties you call a costume.  Then where’ll you be?”

“Bruuuuce!” the boy whined.

Bruce ruffled his hair and said, “Come on, we need to go.  We’re going to spend most of the day in the air.”

Dick was confused, “…But, the flight here…I mean, it was still morning when we got here.”

“It’s different going the other way.  It’s a five hour flight, plus we lose three hours in time difference.  And before you decide to point anything out, I will remember the time difference this time.”

Dick had grown a smirk and opened his mouth to make a comment before Bruce headed him off.  Instead, he gave a knowing look as he pulled out clothes for the day and started changing, and just said, “Okay, _sure_ you will.”

Bruce looked up at the sarcastic nature of the comment and opened his mouth to reply, but stopped in shock, as Dick quickly pulled his pajamas off and put fresh underwear and pants on.  “You could have used the bathroom, chum.”

Dick looked back, over his shoulder and asked, “Why?  It only took a minute.  You see me shower and change after patrol all the time.”

“Yeah, but…”

Dick smiled and said, “I guess I’m just comfortable around you, dad.”  Dick went to the closet and pulled out their suitcases.  “You think Alfred’s up yet?”

Bruce used the moments when Dick’s back was turned to change himself, and was pulling on a shirt when Dick turned around.  “Dick, if there is one thing you should have learned about Alfred by now, it’s that he is a consummate professional.  I assure you, Alfred was awake the second he heard me push back my sheets to come and wake you up.”

Dick pulled his own shirt on and began piling his clothes back into his suitcase.  He stopped and sat down as he got to the picture from Splash Mountain.  He held it reverently in his hands as he took in the smiles on all three faces.

Bruce looked at his boy and said, “Dick?”

Still staring at the picture, Dick whispered, “I had so much fun this week, Bruce.  Thank you.  Thank you so much for doing this for me.”  Dick carefully placed the picture back in the bag, the bag carefully in his suitcase, then stood and wrapped himself around Bruce’s waist.

Bruce knelt, allowing the arms to move up around his neck as he encapsulated the boy in his warmth.  “You’re worth it, son.  Hey, you want to know a secret?”

“What?”

“You’re not the only one who had fun this week,” Bruce said with a smile.  “Come on.  Let’s surprise Alfred, and be ready to go before he is.”

After checking all of the drawers, the closet, and the bathroom for any left-behind belongings, Bruce gathered their bags by the door.  Looking back, Bruce smiled at his boy and asked, “Dick?  What are you doing?”

“I’m making my bed, so Alfred doesn’t have to,” Dick called from across the room as he was smoothing out the bedspread to the best of his ability.  “You said we have to get going early, right?  I figure, why not have one less thing for Alfred to do?”

Bruce returned to the living area of the room and sat on the edge of his bed before Dick could come over and replace the covers.  “Dickie, is this the first time you’ve stayed in a hotel?”

“Um…I think we stayed in one when the circus toured Europe, but I don’t really remember.”

Bruce smiled, “And, you think that Alfred has been coming in and making the bed every day?”

Dick looked chagrined, “…Hasn’t he?”

Bruce placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder.  “Chum, the hotel employs people who do that.  Alfred has been with us almost the entire time we have been out of our rooms, so when would he have had the time to come in and clean up the room?”

Dick looked at his feet as he said, “Oh.  I guess I didn’t think about that.  Alfred has always seemed to have…um…magical powers.  You know, like Super Butler, or something.”

Bruce laughed as he said, “Well, he does work in mysterious ways, but as far as I have been able to tell, he is not able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

Dick looked back up and cocked his head to the side, looking confused, “Huh?  What does that mean?”

Bruce ruffled Dick’s hair as a light knocking was heard at the door.  As Bruce got up to answer it, he said, “Ask Clark the next time you see him.  He may just tell you.”

As confused as he was by the cryptic answer, Dick just stopped making the bed and put his shoes on as Alfred entered the room.  The butler was pleased to see that their bags were sitting by the door, and they only seemed to be waiting on the boy, who had just finished tying his laces.

“Gentlemen, I have arranged for a light breakfast to await us on the plane.  Shall we go, then?  That _is_ still what you desire, Master Dick”

Dick stood and took one last look out of the window.  Disneyland Park was shrouded in a diffused glow as the sun broke over the horizon.  The occasional worker could be seen hurrying around the Happiest Place on Earth, preparing for another day of operation.

Turning, Dick smiled at his elders and said, “As much fun as I’ve had here, as great a trip as this has been, I’m ready to go home.”

Bruce’s heart skipped a beat at Dick’s description of the manor.  _I do love that he thinks of my home as his home.  I’ve tried so hard to encourage that reaction._   “Let’s go,” Bruce said warmly.

The plane left California airspace just as soon as they could get clearance from Clarence, today’s air traffic controller, and headed east.  Dick had no problems with take-off, with his face plastered to one of the windows in the passenger cabin.  Bruce idly wondered how Dick would take landing this time, and if he needed to do something to prepare the boy for the eventual descent.  He needn’t have worried about his son’s reaction to landing, because after reading a couple magazines and watching the movie ‘Airplane’, he fell asleep as the plane was passing over Ohio, and slept soundly until well after the plane touched down at Gotham City International Airport.

“I told you that you would have to do more driving for yourself when we got home,” Dick pointed out to Bruce with a giggle and a yawn as the man drove the three of them from the private hanger to Stately Wayne Manor.

“You know,” Bruce said with a hint of whimsy in his tone, “Little boys who choose to make comments like that are not known for getting their birthday presents.”

“…But, you already gave me my birthday present, Bruce.  Isn’t that what this whole trip was?”  Dick gave a confused reply to the joked statement.

“Yeah?  Well, what’s a birthday without tearing open something wrapped?  Getting something that you didn’t even know you needed, or wanted?”

“…Something you thought I just had to have?” Dick continued the litany that Bruce had repeated on each of the boy’s birthdays celebrated at the manor.

Bruce smirked at the boy in the rearview mirror, “See?  Now you’re getting it.”

Dick looked just a bit glum seated behind the man.  “I guess I don’t have any choice in it, do I?  I told you that there was only one thing I wanted for my birthday.  You agreed to that.  Can’t we just leave it at that?”

Bruce became concerned, “Why does this bother you so much, chum?”

Dick gnawed on his lower lip for a minute before blurting out, “Because I can’t do anything to make it up to you!  I can’t buy you anything to show you how I feel about you, and even if I could, you already have everything.”

“Kiddo, you don’t have to buy me anything.  You make it plainly obvious how you feel.  I never want you to feel like you have to get me anything, okay?  I just want to make sure you’re happy and safe.”

The car was silent for a minute before Dick whispered, “I’m supposed to follow what you say, but how come, when I tell you the same thing, you ignore me?  I’ve been telling you the exact same thing since my ninth birthday.  I never wanted your things, or your money.  I want _you_.  That’s all I’ve ever wanted.  Yeah, the things are nice, and the money is useful, but I get more out of an hour of sitting on the couch cuddling than I do out of an afternoon of shopping.  I get more out of a nice comment, or you telling me you missed me when you get home from work, than I do from a greeting card, or whatever latest toy is advertised at Christmas.  It means more to me than anything when we can take a nap together, because that shows me that you chose to give me the one thing I want from you, time.  We have so much of it, and yet, so little of it, and that makes it the most important thing anyone could give another person.”

Bruce wiped at his eyes as he pulled the car into the manor’s drive.  _He is such a special boy.  That has to be the most impassioned speech I have ever heard.  What do I say to that?  What can I say to that?_   Bruce stopped the car and got out.  Dick was starting to feel that his speech had fallen on deaf ears when his door was opened, and strong arms pulled him out of the vehicle and into a tight hug.

Bruce whispered, “I’ve been a terrible guardian to you, Dickie.  It’s been right in front of me the whole time, and I never grasped it.  I hate that I’ve made you feel that way, like I’m trying to buy you off.”

Dick whispered back, eyes leaking in time with Bruce’s, “You’re not a terrible guardian, you’re just a new father.  From what I’ve heard, parents want to give their kids everything.  You didn’t have the chance to make the early mistakes that other parents do, since you got a second-hand kid.  Just think of all the experience you’ll have for your next kid.”

“Dick, no one could replace you.  I don’t want any other kids.  And, you’re not second-hand, you just have more experience breaking in new parents.  Come on, I think there’s time to mark something off your wish list before it’s time to give Robin his birthday gift.  You wouldn’t begrudge him something useful just because I’m still learning how to do this, would you?”

“Well, I don’t think Batman is going to be offering Robin too many cuddles, so maybe it’s best to stick with something Robin could use.  Although, sometimes, Robin needs some cuddles, too.”

Bruce grinned, “I will have to remind Batman of that.  Let’s go, there is a couch in the den with our name on it.”

Bruce turned towards the house, still holding Dick in his arms, when Dick said, “Wait, what about our bags?”

“Don’t worry, Alfred took them inside about five minutes ago.  Knowing Alfred, they are probably already unpacked, the suitcases are already put away, and he’s probably on his second load of laundry while putting together something for dinner.  What do you say?  Couch?”

Dick finally returned Bruce’s grin, “Yeah, daddy.  Couch.”

_That Night…_

After a nap to rival the one they took on their first day in California, and an excellent dinner of Alfred’s best leftovers, Dick excused himself to run upstairs for a minute while Bruce adjourned to the cave to get ready for patrol.  Once in his room, Dick quietly shut the door and looked around.  True to Bruce’s word, Alfred had taken care of the unpacking.  Dick slowly made his way over to the dresser to take a look at the two new items positioned on top.  He picked up the stuffed Ewok and smiled as he looked into the plastic eyes.  Replacing the stuffed toy, Dick picked up the picture of the three of them on Splash Mountain.  It was a perfectly timed photo, with all three showing matching smiles of joy.  Dick knew that was not a common occurrence where all three of them would all enjoy the same activities, but this was evidence that it was possible.

Dick replaced the picture and looked towards the door, listening sharply.  Hearing nothing, Dick reached into his pocket and withdrew what may be the best birthday present he was ever likely to receive.  Pop Haly had pulled him aside after the circus, after Dick was finished changing and was aching to find Bruce.  He explained that he had been rummaging through some old trunks after their reunion the previous month and had come across a few items that once belonged to his parents.  Mr. Haly told Dick that he was welcome to take all of them, as they really should have been his.  Dick had looked over the items in the small box and instantly felt tears welling up in his eyes as he recognized several of them.  Dick took a few minutes to paw through the collection, reminiscing on the various memories each item drew. 

In the end, Dick had only taken one item from the box.  As nice as it would have been to have had everything, it only would have served to make him sad as it reminded him of times that could never be again.  Everything in the box had been used by his parents to make their life at the circus, and unfortunately, Dick could not see any of the items fitting in with his new life.  He had taken the one item and asked Mr. Haly to allow the rest to be given to others in the circus who would put them to their intended use.  Dick really couldn’t picture his father’s work gloves or his mother’s sewing kit doing more than collecting dust in his room, assuming Alfred ever let such a thing happen in the manor.

Dick reached into his pocket and withdrew a folded picture.  He carefully unfolded it and smoothed the slight crease in the middle.  It was a shot of his family, taken on Christmas of his seventh year.  The young family stood in front of their trailer, the pose reminiscent of the poster Mr. Haly had given him the previous month.  Dick stood between his parents, who each had a hand on one of his shoulders, and all three were waving at the camera.  Joy and happiness was evident on each face, and there could be no question that the family in the picture lived for each other.

Dick smiled as he ran a finger over his father’s face, then another one over his mother’s.  Knowing what he was doing was for him only, and not them, didn’t stop Dick from whispering to the picture.  “Hi.  I’m safe.  I’m alive.  I’m in a really good place, with people who love me, almost as much as you do…did?  No, _do_.  You’d like Bruce and Alfred.  They’re really good people.  They’re not like the rich people we had to deal with in the circus sometimes.  They…understand.  They get me, just like you did.  I hope you don’t mind if I call Bruce dad.  He’s done so much for me, he deserves it, but he will never replace you.  I know that, and he knows that.  He tells me all the time that he doesn’t want to replace you, that he could never do as good a job raising me as you.  He tries his best, and we have our hard times, but that’s part of growing up, right?  You always told me there would be hard times.  Well, you were right.  But, Bruce has had those same hard times.  If I didn’t know better, I would almost think he and I were family, with the way we get along.  I have to go now, but I’ll make sure Alfred gets a frame for this picture.  I want it right next to the one we got from Disneyland.  My…I was going to say ‘my old family and my new’, but that doesn’t feel right, so I will just say ‘my families’.  Yeah, that sounds better.  I have to go protect the city now.  Bye.”

Wiping a tear as he propped the photo up next to the other one, Dick smiled and exited the room.

Entering the cave, he found Batman already at the computer.  Dick grimaced as he realized just how long he had been upstairs.

“Go get changed, we have to go soon,” came rumbling from the direction of the console.

Dick swallowed and scampered to the locker room without a word, figuring Batman was eager to get going after being repressed for so long.  He changed as quickly as possible until he was stopped by something potentially tragic.  The slot where he usually kept his mask was empty.  He went to the drawer containing the extras, only to find the entire drawer empty as well.  _Where are they?  Did…did Batman decide to take my mask after all…literally?  What did I do?  I wasn’t_ that _late tonight._

Dick made his way back into the cave and swallowed hard before addressing Batman.  “Ba-Batman?  Um…Where…”

Still not looking, Batman growled, “Spit it out, Robin.”

“My masks are missing.”

Dick could have sworn that Batman’s mouth quirked up in a quick grin, “Get one out of the spares drawer.”

“It’s…um…empty.”

“Empty?” There was a definite uptick in the tone of his voice.  _What’s going on here?_

Batman stood up and turned fully to the boy.  “Robin, have you been losing masks?”

“Never, Batman.  They only ever come off when I’m here.”  Robin was starting to get desperate.

Batman drew a heavy sigh and reached into his belt.  “Here.  It’s a good thing I carry an extra.  Happy birthday, Robin.”

Robin was confused.  _Is he giving me one of my own masks and calling it a birthday present?  And when did he start carrying an extra of my mask in his belt?  Do I have to find a way to carry an extra cowl in my belt?_

Before he could say anything, Batman knelt down in front of him and affixed the mask to Robin’s face.  As he was adjusting it for correct positioning, Batman said, “Alfred, now.”

Robin was about to ask what was going on when all of the lights in the cave went out.  Robin gasped at the sudden darkness, feeling immediately alone, even though Batman’s hands were still adjusting the mask on his face.

“Robin, can you see me?”

_What does he mean?  It’s pitch black in here, of course I can’t see him._   “No, Batman.”

Batman moved a gauntleted finger to press a micro-switch embedded in the material of the mask.  Instantly, the image inside the lenses flared to life in tones of green.  There, in front of him, where he had been when the lights went out, was Batman, the barest hint of a grin on his face.  “How about now?”

Robin gasped again, “Yeah.  Batman, did you equip my mask with _night vision_?”  _That’s so cool!_

“No, I equipped _all_ of your masks with night vision.  Like I said, happy birthday.  You have to follow Batman into the darkness.  I figured, might as well give you an advantage over those who would choose to live in the darkness.”

They stared at each other through the military green glow of the night vision for several seconds before Robin realized what Batman was doing.  _Bruce said he would take up the issue of Robin needing cuddles, too._   Before Batman could change his mind, Robin wrapped his arms around the still-kneeling vigilante.  Strong, armored arms pulled him in to an embrace that 99.9% of the world would never believe ever took place.

“Thank you, Batman,” was whispered next to a cowl-covered ear.  Batman knew that he wasn’t just being thanked for the new mask.  Robin pulled even tighter against the body armor, and to his satisfaction, Batman didn’t pull away until Robin did.

Batman showed Robin where the switch was to turn the night vision on and off, then turned it off and said, “Thank you, Alfred.  You can turn the lights on again.”

“Of course, Master Batman,” was spoken out of the darkness, from closer than Batman might have hoped.  When the lights came back on full, Batman and Robin stood side by side looking at each other.  “Ready, Robin?”

“I am now, Batman.”

They swept to the car and left into the night.

Two hours later, the dynamic duo landed on the roof of one of Gotham’s many skyscrapers.  Batman and Robin stood at the edge and looked off into the clear night.  It had been a quiet patrol, mostly because Batman had been truly vicious in the patrols leading up to the vacation.  He had cleared the streets of as many criminals as possible, and even had the time to put the Riddler back into Arkham, with enough broken bones and bruises to discourage even the most hardened of criminals from trying anything for a while, at least until Batman had calmed down a bit.

“Robin, where are we?”

Batman had a tendency to test Robin on situational awareness at a moment’s notice.  Robin took a quick second to familiarize himself with the area before answering.  Batman allowed the extra time because he knew the boy would list everything in order to give the most complete answer to the vague question as possible.

“Um…We’re on the roof of the One West Bank building in Downtown Gotham.  City Hall is across the street.  Police Plaza is…um…oh yeah, a block and a half southeast.  Wayne Tower is five blocks to the north.  The Federal Depository building is on the left of City Hall.  The Carson Street Subway Terminal runs under the Grant Building, the next building over from us.”  Robin trailed off, hoping that was a thorough enough answer.

Internally, Bruce was crowing at the complete answer the boy had given.  However, he had missed the one thing that Batman had been trying to get out of the child.  “What street are we on?”

_Crud, I knew I would forget something._   “Carson Street, which coincides with the Carson Street subway station that I mentioned.”

Batman turned the boy to look in the other direction, down towards City Hall.  “What _other_ street are we on?”

“Oh, that’s…um…Mayor Daly Boulevard.  It runs in front of City Hall to Commemorate Mayor Franklin Daly, the first mayor of the newly incorporated Gotham City in 1736.”  A flash of memory from the week previous tickled Robin’s mind.  _Batman couldn’t be planning something, could he?_

Batman took a step forward and whispered, in Bruce’s voice, “I know there are no elephants, and no one to really see it happen, but would you like to make that parade you never got to do?”

Even covered by a mask, Batman could tell that Robin’s eyes had widened to dangerous levels.  He even joked in his head that the lenses of Robin’s mask must have been the only thing holding the cobalt orbs in their proper sockets.

“You mean…we can swing down over the boulevard…just the two of us…just because?”  Robin couldn’t believe his ears.  Batman just smiled, only big enough for Robin to see.

“Oh!  You are _so_ getting another Bat-Cuddle when we get home, whether you like it or not.”  The boy beamed.

Batman pulled out his grapnel gun and waited for Robin to do the same.  They both launched their lines into the night and allowed themselves to drop low over the nearly deserted street, swinging side by side in the best approximation of a parade that the Dynamic Duo could manage, the beauty inherent in the precision of their coordinated moves was matched by the smiles that the simple act drew on each of their faces. 

**A/N:  Wow, finally finished.  This has really been a work of love for me.  I have been promising this story in various A/N’s for several months.  Believe it or not, I began writing this story in January, and now exactly five months to the day (I’m not making that up, started 1-17-15, finished 6-17-15), I can finally get this out.  Working on this on and off with other stories has made getting it together a bit difficult, as my muse has been fleeting.  I’m hoping it doesn’t sound too disjointed for being written over such a long period.  I have also been jumping back and forth in the story to write different sections as I had good ideas for those sections.**

**Let me start with the inspiration.  I am a huge Disney fan.  I have lived all but two years of my life within twenty miles of Disneyland.  I have been an annual passholder for 17 years, and I don’t plan on giving it up any time soon.  I have gone at least once a month for that same amount of time, and feel I know the park very well.  I have been to the park several hundred times in my life.  After a trip in January, when I first started writing Batman fics, I wondered what a trip to Disneyland would be like for Batman and Robin.  This is the story that caused me to come up with a time line for all my stories, mostly just so I could place this one in the past without changing any current story plans.  Don’t ask me why I chose to set this in 1997, it just seemed to work with the ages I saw the characters in my tales being.**

**Now, on to the Disney explanations.  I have mentioned several names, and I would like to take the time to offer thanks that they will never read, and explanation of my choices.  First off, I haven’t stayed in the Disneyland hotel since the 1980’s, even though I have been through the lobby several dozen times since.  Since I haven’t been above the lobby in close to thirty years, I have no idea what the rooms currently look like, and how many floors the hotel currently has.  Surprisingly enough, that is the one bit of information that eluded me in my research.  I found a park map from the exact dates this story takes place, and a listing of shows and events happening in the week after the events depicted here, but nothing on how many floors the damn hotel has!**

**Okay, off the soap box now.  The tour they take is modeled after the ‘Walking in Walt’s Footsteps’ tour offered at Disneyland.  I highly recommend it, it is very informative (and yes, you do get a box lunch after the tour).  Anyone can get the buttons that Dick is mentioned wearing for free, just ask at the City Hall.  Jessica, the hotel desk clerk, is actually modeled after several friends I had that worked at the Disneyland Hotel.  Since the character is modeled after several people, I just chose a name randomly.  Jake, the porter, is really a throwaway character that I decided needed a name to move the story along.  He was originally named Jeremy, until I read the section over and realized that I had Jeremy and Jessica so close together.  I have married friends named Jeremy and Jessica, and it didn’t feel right to have both in such close proximity in the tale, even though they will never read this.  Dan, the Jungle Cruise skipper, is named after Skipper Dan, from the Weird Al song.  Julie, the tour guide, is named after the prototype Disney tour guide, Disney Ambassador Julie Andrews.  Steven, the Monorail driver, is named after a friend from high school who worked at Disneyland on the Monorail after we graduated.  Yes, he was named Steven, I didn’t change that one.  I have an aunt and uncle named Pete and Myrna, but to the best of my knowledge, they do not have an annoying brat of a son named Robbie, nor did they ever in the past.  Robbie is a complete fabrication of my mind, and is not based on anybody.  I just needed a foil for Dick.  Clarence, the air traffic controller, is just a joke from the movie Airplane, which is why Dick watches it on the return flight.  Denny’s actually stopped the practice of eating free on your birthday before the time that this story takes place, but it is still continued is some locations, depending on the owner of that particular franchise.  I just thought I would include it here for fun.  Yes, before you check it online, John Wayne Airport is 14 miles from Disneyland, you can check the FAQ on their website.  I have no idea if John Wayne Airport has private terminals, since I don’t fly, and haven’t had a need to go to John Wayne Airport in almost 20 years.  Dick’s line about landing on the freeway came from a personal experience I had driving on the 55 once, looking in my rearview mirror while sitting in traffic, and seeing what looked like a plane about to land on the freeway.  It didn’t, of course, but I haven’t forgotten seeing that.**

**Bob, the breakfast waiter, is a real person, and a real Disneyland employee.  Bob is his real name, and at the time that this is based, he was a waiter at the Carnation Café on Main Street.  Bob has worked at Disneyland for over forty years, and is a Disneyland institution.  He is a very kind man who always has a smile on his face.  He worked at the Carnation Café until the Main Street renovation several years ago, when he transferred to Café Orleans, and now works a lunch and dinner shift.  It will be a real loss for the park when he decides to retire, and I know I will miss seeing him when he is no longer there.  We try to see him and say hi every time we go, and he never fails to return a pleasant greeting and ask how we have been since the last time he saw us.  Since he has been such a big part of my family’s trips to Disneyland over the past dozen and a half years, I couldn’t in good conscience write this without including him.  Thanks, Bob**

**Any mention of current events or trends that either have been lampooned or criticized in this tale are purely intentional.  Please read them in the same manner they were written, with tongue firmly planted in cheek.  I know this was a bit heavy on the emotions, but it just felt right.  Don’t read too much into it.  I am not working out any personal demons in the writing of this story, just trying to tell a story and make it interesting.  For the section of flight and landing the plane, that was all pure whimsy.  I don’t fly, I have never flown, and I never plan to fly, therefore I have no idea of what proper aeronautical terminology is.  Everything written was created by me, just to sound good.  By the time this is edited and published, I will have added a few ‘niner’s’ to the dialogue, just because I like the way that sounds.  It won’t make sense once you read this, but they weren’t there originally.**

**Thanks for sticking with me so far, there is more to come.  I know this is quite long, but once I let my mind run free, it took me places, and I couldn’t bear to not follow it down the rabbit hole.**

**Disclaimer:  Do I really need to say that I don’t own or make any money from the properties mentioned in this work?  Let’s make a list of all the things mentioned that I don’t own: Batman and all related DC properties, Disney and all related Disney properties, any vehicular or aeronautical trademarks, Star Wars and any related properties, George Lucas (even though it seems like everything he created is now up for sale, why not himself, too?).  Now, let’s list all the things mentioned in this story that I do own:  (yeah, I hear the crickets chirping, too).  No, actually, now that I think about it, I own a version of the stuffed Ewok that Alfred buys for Dick.  It was probably purchased around the same time, if I really had to guess.  That is owned from a consumer standpoint, so mentioning it is kind of like saying that I own my couch, in that they are both consumer goods that are in no way capable of making me money that would otherwise go to a rightful property owner.**


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